


Just Deserts

by sapphirerose1990



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adult Frisk, Adult Frisk/Sans - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Monsters Weren't Sealed Underground, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Interspecies Relationship(s), Kissing, Morally Grey Characters, Sans and Undyne are Detectives, Sexy Times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-01 20:00:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 35,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12711936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphirerose1990/pseuds/sapphirerose1990
Summary: Detective Sans Skeleton is fully aware of how dangerous Ebott City can be. Monsters and Humans have had a tense rivalry that goes back countless generations. It just takes one action, one death to tip the scales of peace and throw the city into complete chaos. With a mysterious killer stalking the neighborhoods, Sans is not only racing against time to save the life of his prime witness but to save himself from a murderer who will stop at nothing destroy everything.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been swirling around in my head for awhile, even before I finished my previous story Angel in the Night. I never wrote a detective story before but after watching a few detective based TV shows, I could not resist. Especially since I love writing about morally grey characters that can be both good and bad, depending on the situation. I hope you all enjoy this story. It's personally one of my favorite ones that I have ever written. I might expand upon the story when it's over but that won't be for awhile. In the meantime, thanks for reading!

There was a cold wind, one late September morning. Autumn had come early and the trees of Snowdin Park were already turning brilliant shades of orange and yellow. Located in the middle of Ebott City, this little patch of land was considered the neutral zone where Monsters and Humans could go about freely. While territorial gangs from both species prowled the streets, Snowdin Park was a safe place reserved for the young. It was where children could play, mothers could go for walks with their babies and college students could read their books under the trees.

It was supposed to be safe but everything changed when a Monster kid was attacked. 

Murdered in the middle of the night, the child left behind the smallest amount of dust and a tiny, brown and yellow stripped sweater. That was it, an entire existence snuffed out in a blink of an eye and nobody knew anything. People became anxious. Monsters and Humans stared at each other suspiciously but there was no evidence of who did it. As the sun was coming up over the trees, the police were called in and bright yellow tape was strung up to prevent onlookers from contaminating the site. Everybody seemed to have an opinion and the news spread around like wildfire throughout Ebott City. It wasn't until around 8 AM that Detective Sans Skeleton arrived. 

Driving up to the park's entrance, the skeleton noticed the flashing blue and red lights. Already there were some police cars here but he knew that there was probably more still arriving. He sighed wearily, mentally preparing himself for what lay ahead. Seeing the remains was always the hardest part of the job and he knew from experience that it was going to be a long day. Getting out of his old beat up car, he teleported to where the canine guards were standing watch. He flashed them his badge and gave the dogs a cheerful smile. The two dogs didn't smile back but they let him through. Everybody looked grim; the sergeant went over and shook his hand. "It's good to see you Sans. It's been some day, hasn't it?"

Sans gave a yawn, "It's way too early to solve murder cases." He grumbled, "Don't the killers sleep? I stayed up late and I barely fell asleep when I got the phone call."

Dogamy shrugged, "Well, unfortunately for us, people don't always kill between 9 AM to 5 PM."

"So Dogamy...what exactly are we lookin' at here?" The skeleton asked, nodding towards the dust. "Was it a mugging gone wrong? Maybe it was a statement from a local anti-Monster gang? I have heard the rumors about the growing tensions between Humans and Monsters in this neighborhood. Do you think it was done on purpose?"

“The kid's death certainly wasn't an accident.” Sergeant Dogamy said matter-of-factly. “That much is pretty obvious. Everyone knows that Snowdin Park is off limits to gang activity and the remains were out in the open. The killer didn't try to hide anything. In fact, it almost looks like he or she wanted the dust to be found. Right away, we noticed Human blood on the sweater. Every canine Monster could smell it the moment they arrived. There’s not enough to be obvious to the passing onlooker but the kid must have gone down fighting when the Human attacked them. We are looking into some missing person cases, trying to find a match. Hopefully we can find the family to bring them some closure. It’s such a tragedy to lose a pup. Puppies are to be treasured; I know I would be devastated if I lost my own children.”

Rubbing his skull, Sans tried to keep his composure. “Do we know who called this in?”

Dogamy looked at his reports, “An anonymous citizen told us about the Monster kid’s murder about two hours ago. The caller sounded female but other than that, she hung up before we could learn more. Then we traced the phone call and it ended up being from that payphone over there.”

“A payphone, huh?” Sans mused, “I didn’t even know they had those things anymore.”

The sergeant did not hear him. With Dogamy going over to talk with two canine officers, Sans took the opportunity to study the remains of the child. Aside from clothing, the only clue to the age of a Monster was the dust left behind. The kid must have been very young because there was not much left but Sans noticed something small and shiny half buried in the particles. It was a bullet but not like any bullet he had ever seen. Humans were fond of guns so it was basic training to learn about them but this bullet had some kind of rune markings engraved on the end. Sans did not recognize the symbols, they were strange but he put it in the plastic baggy for good measure.

Between the Human blood and now the bullet, forensics could give further clues to who the killer was. All in all, this was a lucky find. Not many homicides had DNA samples of the killer, so maybe this one would be an open shut case. Feeling unusually optimistic, Sans started walking back to his car but before he made it to the parking lot, the skeleton noticed his partner was running towards him. While Sans enjoyed the work, and felt satisfied with a job well done, it was his partner, Detective Undyne Piranha who lived and breathed the detective life. She never took off her badge and she was always the first one to show up for duty. Sans smirked to himself, pleased to be the early one for a change.

“Hey Chum! I was wondering when I would sea ya.” Sans chortled, giving her a sly wink. “Did ya sleep in today, Undyne? My, my how unprofessional! I know it’s early but even I have been here for ages! In fact, ya even caught me on my way to deliver evidence to evidence. I found a bullet in the dust!”

“Fish puns, huh? That’s original.” Undnye deadpanned, but her toothy smile gave away her amusement. “Still, congratulations for finding a bullet. That's kind of weird though, Monsters are not usually killed with guns. Usually our kind is far too powerful to be killed by some kind of puny pea shooter...though I suppose it makes sense considering the victim was just a little kid."

Sans nodded, his pleasant expression darkening. “You’d have to be a real coward to kill a defenseless child. Monsters and Humans are barely getting along and if word gets out that a Human murdered a Monster, the whole city would erupt in war. It's so messed up, Undyne! When we catch this murderer and we will catch them...I will give them a bad time that they will never forget. No mercy, just excruciating pain and a jail cell for life." His left eye glowed blue and he clenched his phalanges threateningly.

“Easy there, tiger!” Undyne teased, “Save that aggression for the interrogation! I might have caught the murderer for you. While you were taking your lazy ass, time getting ready this morning, I was here a good twenty minutes before you even showed up! I had already inspected the remains…didn’t see the bullet…but I did see a Human woman acting really weird. I went to talk to her but the lady took off. She was a fast runner; I ended up chasing her around the park.”

“Humans act weird all the time…how does that make her a murderer?” Sans asked, looking skeptical. “It’s been at least two hours since the Monster kid’s death. Wouldn’t the killer have left the crime scene? You probably just frightened her.”

Undyne growled, “Well, she sure didn’t act frightened to me! All I wanted to do was ask her a few questions but then I noticed that her hand was bleeding. The dogs found blood on the kid’s sweater, so naturally I was suspicious. How many wounded Humans are in this park anyway?”

“That is strange.” Sans frowned, “Did ya catch her? Did ya find the gun responsible?”

“The Human did not have a weapon on her.” Undyne admitted. “But that doesn’t mean anything! She could have hidden the gun before I searched her. I cornered the Human at the fountain and that was about the time you showed up. I got Dogaresa to watch her while we talked but I don't want to leave them alone for too long. That Human is a slippery one! The last thing I want to do is chase her around the park again before you could question her. I tried but we both know that I suck at interrogations. You've always been a good judge of character Sans, want to give it a try?"

Looking to the distance, Sans spotted the disgruntled woman being guarded by Dogaresa. The canine was keeping a close eye on the Human, growling if she so much as moved a few feet from their designated place. The skeleton sighed reluctantly. “Okay…I will go talk to her. No promises on getting her to open up though."

“Thanks Sans, you’re the best!” Undyne said, grinning toothily. “But be careful; we don’t know anything about this Human. She might look harmless but she could be dangerous. You never know with her kind. The last thing we need is you being careless and making a stupid mistake.”

“Aww…Undyne! I didn’t know ya cared so much about my well-being!” Sans teased, laughing when the fish Monster aimed a punch in his direction. "I will be fine. Don't worry!"

Giving his partner a wink, Sans teleported away and rematerialized in front of the Human woman in question. She jumped up in surprise, not uncommon for a Human who never saw a teleporting skeleton before. When she saw his blue jacket and badge, her surprised look turned into one of suspicion. “So…I guess you are the detective they want me to talk to?" The woman asked, studying Sans for a brief moment. “Fish lady already questioned me earlier but it’s like I told her. I didn’t kill a Monster kid and I don’t know who did. No matter how many times you ask me, my answer will always be the same. I have nothing against Monsters nor am I a racist!”

Taken aback, Sans tried to salvage the situation. “Human, don’t you know how to greet a new pal? I’m not here to fight ya. My name is Detective Sans Skeleton and I just wanted to ask a few questions. It won’t take long. So, play nice and everything will be fine. This will be over fast, I promise. So, here’s an easy one, what’s your name?”

The woman was silent for a long moment. “My name is Frisk.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Frisk.” Sans said, relaxing a bit and studying the woman. Frisk was young, probably in her early to mid-twenties. She had shoulder length brown hair and piercing dark eyes that stared defiantly at him. The Human was also small statured, a few inches shorter then he was and Sans was considered small for a Monster. From the way she was looking at him, he couldn’t help but feel a little attracted to her…he always did like strong willed females but the skeleton quickly shook off the feeling. This was a very serious situation. There was no time for distractions and this Human woman, no matter how pretty, could be a prime suspect.

His eye sockets narrowed on her bloody hand. “That looks painful. How did it happen?”

“When your friend chased me, I scratched it on some thorny bushes.” Frisk said, self-consciously rubbing her wounds. “It’s nothing. It doesn’t even hurt; it’s just bleeding a bit.”

Sans nodded, pulling out a handkerchief. “If ya want, I can help ya bandage it up?”

The skeleton placed the cloth on her hand but Frisk quickly pulled away. “No offense but I don’t want your help detective. I’ll clean it up when I get to work. That’s why I’m at this park in the first place. Every morning around 7:30 AM, I take a shortcut through Snowdin Park. I work as a baking assistant at Sugar & Snails and this is the fastest way to the bakery. I was curious when I saw the crime scene but I promise you, I didn’t kill anyone. Fish lady just assumed I did and she started chasing me! Now if you don’t mind…I would like to leave. Can I continue on my way or are you going to arrest me, if only for the crime of being a Human at the wrong place and time?”

Sans stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket. “Alright Frisk, have it your way. I’m sorry we bothered ya. My partner can be hotheaded and it must have been scary to have her chase ya around like that. She means well, even if she is impulsive. Seeing a Monster killed in our own backyard is painful. We just want to catch the killer.”

Frisk’s eyes softened, “I know and I did not mean to run away. Fish lady scared me and I guess I lost my nerve. If it’s any conciliation, I really hope you find the one who killed the Monster kid. I can’t imagine the pain the family must be going through. It must be positively heartbreaking.”

“Thanks Frisk, I am glad ya understand.” Sans said, with a soft smile. “We will do our best. I’m sorry if we made ya late for work. If your boss gives ya any trouble, just tell her that Detective Sans Skeleton sends his apologies. Toriel will understand.”

Giving him a confused look, Frisk continued on her way and Sans teleported back to Undyne. When he rematerialized in front of his partner, Undyne was furious. The fish Monster glared at him, baring her sharp teeth. “Why did you let her go?” She demanded, “Do you know how long it took me to catch that Human? You were only gone for a few short minutes! Surely, you didn’t find out everything you needed to know! I thought your judgement was better than that Sans!”

The skeleton took out the bloodied handkerchief. “Cod ya calm down? Look, I managed to get a blood sample from the Human. We can compare it to the blood on the Monster kid’s sweater. If it matches, then we’ll know for sure that Frisk is guilty.”

“Well bonehead, at least you are not being completely stupid.” Undyne admitted, starting to relax. “The Human’s blood sample will be enough evidence to use against her in court. All we have to do is compare the two samples, find a connection and then we can arrest her on charges of murder. Not only will we avenge the Monster kid’s murder but Captain Dreemurr will give us both promotions! We will be heroes! Monsters in Ebott City will admire our detective skills!”

“Don’t get your hopes us yet.” Sans warned, “I may have gotten a blood sample but I have a feeling that Frisk is innocent. The blood sample will just rule out any reasonable doubt that she is the killer. However, I think I will keep an eye socket on her. Frisk might not be the killer but I think she’s hiding something important.”

Undyne looked skeptical. “Yeah right! If Frisk is not the killer, who else could it be?”

"I guess we'll find out with more investigating." Sans shrugged, "Now come on, let's head back to the station. I want to show this stuff to Dr. Alphys. She’s gonna be really interested in this bullet and we still have a report to fill out. Captain Dreemurr will want this case solved as soon as possible. Too many Monsters are growing suspicious and if we don’t catch the killer soon, we could end up with more dead bodies on our hands. When a Monster kills a Human or a Human kills a Monster, there is always a consequence. People want revenge and if we don’t deliver it, they will find ways to get revenge the illegal way and then nobody will be happy.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Doctor, do you have a minute?” Captain Asgore Dreemurr asked, knocking on the lab door.

Alphys looked up, still chewing the noodles from her lunch, with chopsticks in hand. Quickly swallowing, she wiped her chin with a napkin and looked bashfully at her boss. The old goat Monster seemed very tired today as he stood in the doorway. He was still holding the multiple reports given by the officers assigned to the Monster kid murder. Asgore tried not to drop them as he walked inside the cluttered lab. “Of course, I have a minute!” Alphys simpered, putting down her bowl. “How can I help you, sir?”

“I got a phone call a few minutes ago." Asgore explained, "It turns out that Detectives Skeleton and Piranha have found new evidence. We don't just have the blood on the sweater, we also have a blood sample from a possible suspect and the bullet that Sans found hidden in the child's remains. The detectives are on their way here now and while I know that you are working on another project, I want you to make this one a priority. The press has been very...enthusiastic lately. They are demanding answers faster than I can give them."

The lizard Monster winced, looking sympathetic. "Yes, I-I have heard. They have been calling the s-station non-stop all day."

Asgore shook his head, looking at her with sad eyes. "Every newspaper in the city is looking for a quote or a picture to go along with their article on the murder case but we haven’t gathered all the information yet. How can I promise them a picture when the child’s parents have yet to be found? I don’t want the parents to find out that their baby was killed by reading the Monster Times and seeing it on the front page. Haven’t they any sympathy? Shouldn’t they want to hold back on the sensationalism and focus on the people themselves? It’s important to be respectful in the times of a tragedy and I would much rather prefer being prudent then impulsive about this.”

Seeing the captain looking so frustrated broke her heart. He was her friend, her mentor and this seemed to have brought back old memories for him. “Well…don’t you worry about me sir, I will do my best.” Alphys promised. “I have known Happstablook for many years and while he’s looking forward to his cyber enhancements, I’m sure he’ll understand the delay given the circumstances. I just…I am a bit worried about you captain, are you going to be okay? I-I don’t mean to p-pry into your personal life but this must hit close to home…considering what happened to Asriel all those years ago. If there is anything else I can do please…feel free to ask.”

"While I appreciate the concern, Alphys I will be alright.” Asgore said; his voice gentle. "I have a duty to the people of this city and while it does hurt, I just need to keep busy. With any luck this won’t last long and we will catch the villain responsible. I am counting on your brilliance doctor. Now if you need me or have any more questions, I will be in my office for the rest of the day. I have a lot of work to do and I need to prepare my speech for when the camera crews come here tonight. Undyne and Sans will be here any minute, so thank you my friend, for everything.”

Smiling shyly, the doctor nodded and went to work preparing her lab. 

Putting away the cyber enhancements for Happstablook, she brought out her microscope and a machine designed to test blood. Monsters, unlike Humans, had their DNA stored in the dust that they were made of. Magic was what gave the dust shape and depending on the individual soul, each Monster had a uniquely magical signature. Since Humans did not have magic, their physical forms could be used to tell them apart by getting samples of blood, skin or hair. Despite being very different in appearance, Monsters and Humans were actually similar in the micro scale. It was merely a question of having magic or not. Alphys rarely had time to study the Human genome, but this was her big chance. This was her moment to shine; all she had to do was not screw it up. Everyone in Ebott City was counting on her. So, lost in her thoughts, Alphys was startled when the lab door slammed open. Undyne was practically dragging Sans inside, her one yellow eye shining with excitement. The lizard Monster’s soul fluttered at seeing the detective.

"Undyne and Sans, how nice to see you both!" Alphys said, blushing and smoothing her lab coat. "The captain mentioned that you needed my-my s-services?"

The fish Monster quickly took charge, "Hey Alphys! You would not believe the day I have had! While I was out investigating the kid's murder, I caught a Human fleeing the crime scene. I chased her down and used all my cunning and intelligence to capture her. She was pretty fast but I was faster! I could have been killed but instead, I caught the fiercest Human in Ebott City!"

Alphys gasped, looking impressed but Sans only scoffed. "Frisk isn't dangerous. She's all of 5 feet 1, petite and unarmed. Frisk ran away because you scared her and while she did scratch her hand, the wound was hardly big enough to be noteworthy. I took a blood sample from her but I only did it because I wanted to rule her out as a suspect. She's actually sweet and polite, once ya treat her better than a common thug. The way ya talk Undyne, it sounds like ya took down a whole army of Humans!"

Undyne glared at Sans, annoyed by his comment. "Frisk was running from the scene of a crime. She had a wounded hand. The Monster kid's sweater had Human blood on it. If that's not proof of guilt, I don't know what is. You were just being a numbskull because she's a pretty girl. Don’t think that I did not notice! I recognized that goofy look from a mile away. It’s disgusting. She is not even a Monster! Humans are nothing but trouble and here you are acting smitten over one!”

Realizing that this was conversation quickly getting out of hand, Alphys stepped forward. "Hey now! There is no need to fight! Since you have the blood samples, we can simply compare the two and if they match, then we will know if the Human woman is innocent or not. There’s no need to jump to assumptions when science is involved. I-I do agree though, Undyne you were very brave to chase after the Human but Sans does have a point. So please, let bygones be bygones, so we can focus on solving the murder...okay? Captain Dreemurr is counting on us!"

Undyne huffed irritably but Sans did as he was told. Reaching into his coat pocket, the skeleton took out the plastic baggy with the handkerchief inside. Alphys quickly put on some gloves and handled the bloody cloth carefully. Taking out some glass slides, she squeezed the handkerchief till a small drop of blood fell onto the smooth surface. The lizard Monster then placed the slide under the microscope, turned on the light and twiddled with the knobs until it was in focus. The two detectives watched her curiously and Alphys found herself becoming self-conscious. Her face was red and she anxiously glanced back at her onlookers, her tail swishing as she moved around in the lab. "Um...you two don't have to stick around here. Just give me a few hours and I will call you when I am done…unless, of course, there is something else that you need from me.”

"Actually, I might have something else. I found this bullet." The skeleton explained. "I noticed there are some weird symbols on it. Do you think it's a clue? I was about to take it to evidence but I figured you might know something. You are the smartest Monster I know, so it's worth a shot."

Alphys took the silver object and held it up to the light. "I-I work in forensics.... this sort of thing is usually for the ballistics team but I... I do recognize the writing. It's called the language of hands, an old font that was the original language of the Monsters. Before we met the Humans a few centuries ago, this was the language that every Monster knew. It is really unfortunate that it's harder to learn then English, which is the language we inherited from their kind. Naturally, the younger Monsters never really needed it, only learning it as an optional second language in school. I guess you could compare it to Latin, the ancient language of the Humans. I studied it years ago back when I was in university. It’s really unfortunate that I never became fluent..."

"Why would the killer engrave words on a bullet in an outdated language?" Undyne demanded, "That's stupid. What are they trying to prove?"

Alphys shrugged, "It's hard to tell…p-perhaps it’s a signature of the killer? Maybe it’s a clue to when the killer will strike again? Oh, I really wish I could read the language…you must think that I’m so useless! When I took the class I never believed that I would actually need it in the lab. Um…I might have a dictionary somewhere, then we could translate the words. That’s all I can do really. Like I said before, it’s usually ballistics that deals with bullets. I couldn’t tell you what gun the bullet came from or anything of that sort. It’s just not my expertise. I’m so sorry.”

Sans sighed, "Well, it was worth a shot. Hmm…the language of hands...that does sound familiar. Maybe I need to relax and it will come back to me. Thanks, Alphys."

The doctor smiled bashfully, looking at the ground. "It’s no problem. I will…um… see you two in a few hours! In the meantime, why don’t you get some lunch? I-I happen to know from experience…what it’s like being under a lot of pressure. Hunger can lead to increased grumpiness and it can also make you impatient with others. This case has been stressful on all of us, so it’s really important to take care of yourself during these different times. We have to be at our best if we want to catch that killer. I am saying this not just as a doctor…but as your friend.”

Undyne shrugged, “I think you are right Alphys. I am sorry I snapped at you Sans. I guess I got kind of carried away. People keep telling me that I am impulsive and hotheaded...I guess it's true. It's just...I spent so much time chasing that Human; I want it to at least mean something. If it wasn't her, that would mean I just wasted my energy and detective skills by chasing a frightened Human running from a scary Monster with a badge. That would be embarrassing! Plus, to clear my conscious, I'd have to find that pipsqueak and apologize. That is one conversation I'm not looking forward to having. Can you imagine how awkward that would be? I hate being wrong."

"Tibia honest, I am equally at fault." Sans agreed, "It has been a rough day and I am bone tired. I'm going to head to Grillby's to get some ketchup. I think it will calm my nerves and plus, a burger and fries would really hit the spot right now. Feel free to come with me if ya want Undyne. I will even pay for your lunch as my apology."

Glancing at the bashful doctor, Undyne smiled softly. "Nah... I think I'll stay here. I appreciate the gesture but I’ve already packed a lunch and I want to keep Alphys company. I don’t want our resident scientist to get too lonely. I’ll take a rain check on that offer, perhaps when things have calmed down. Enjoy your meal, you bonehead. Don’t get into trouble talking to pretty Humans.”

Sans chuckled, “Ya act like talkin’ to pretty Humans is a bad thing. Anyway, it’s no skin off my bones if you stay or not. I’ll see ya both later. Don’t flirt with Alphys too much Undyne, our brilliant scientist still needs to concentrate on her work!” With a quick flash of blue light, the skeleton disappeared. As he faded away, the last thing he saw was a blushing Undyne and Alphys alone in the Forensics Lab.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a little past 9 PM, when Sans finally returned home. Every bone in his body ached with exhaustion and he could barely keep his eye sockets open. 

As he stumbled around in the dark house, the skeleton turned on some lights and found that there was some dinner waiting for him in the kitchen. Papyrus' famous spaghetti was stored in a little glass container, just like it always was whenever he had a long day at work. Putting away his things, Sans quickly took a shower and changed into something more comfortable before returning to the kitchen to heat up the pasta in the microwave. The sound of the water, the soft whirring and beeping noises of the machine; it truly revealed how quiet their house was in the evening hours. Papyrus must have been sleeping. His brother had a habit of being up before the sunrise, so it stood to reason that he went to bed early too. Sans didn't mind but he did feel lonely from time to time.

With his dinner now steaming hot, Sans carried the plate into the living room. Turning on the TV, he curled up on the couch, leaning back into its plushy surface as he listened to Asgore talk on the evening news. Most of it he already knew. The captain summarized the Monster kid murder and why it was so important to stay vigilant in case the killer strikes again. Then there were a few photographs of the bullet he found, displaying the strange symbols from the language of hands. Frowning, Sans paused the TV and studied the shapes more carefully. They looked so familiar but he could not place it. Suddenly, he heard a noise coming from behind him.

"SANS! YOU'VE FINALLY COME HOME!" Papyrus said, giving a yawn as he walked into the living room. Dressed in his pajamas, he smiled sleepily at his brother.

"Hey bro!" Sans looked up and returned the smile. "It's been some day. Thanks for the spaghetti, I really needed it. You've really improved with the recipe."

"I AM GLAD YOU LIKED IT." Papyrus preened, "NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR MY BROTHER WHO HAS BEEN WORKING HARD ALL DAY. I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE IT WHEN I FUSS ABOUT YOU BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT WORRY. YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A DANGEROUS KILLER! WHAT IF YOU END UP BECOMING THE NEXT VICTIM? IF THEY ARE WILLING TO KILL A CHILD, WHAT'S TO STOP THEM FROM KILLING A COP? ON THE TV, THE CAPTAIN SAID THAT ANYBODY COULD BE THE MURDERER, SO I WANT YOU TO BE DOUBLY CAREFUL. YOU ARE THE ONLY FAMILY I HAVE LEFT AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU."

"Papyrus, you're goin' to make me cry if ya keep talkin' like that." Sans sighed, giving his brother a hug. "Don't worry, I’ll be careful. Right now, I am trying to solve a puzzle and it has got me stumped. I don't know what it means and it's drivin' me crazy."

"HMMM…A PUZZLE YOU SAY?" Papyrus asked, putting his hand thoughtfully to his chin, "PERHAPS I COULD HELP....UNLESS IT'S CLASSIFIED OF COURSE."

Sans pointed to the TV, the bullet's symbols were clearly visible. "I'm still trying to figure out what those symbols mean. Do you recognize them?"

Peering at the screen, Papyrus jumped up excitedly. "SANS! THOSE ARE WINGDINGS! OF COURSE, I RECOGNIZE THEM! DAD LOVED STUDYING WINGDINGS AND HE WOULD SHOW ME EXAMPLES OF THE OLD LANGUAGE WHEN I WAS JUST A BABY BONES. OH, THIS BRINGS BACK SO MANY HAPPY MEMORIES! DON'T YOU REMEMBER? OUR MOM EVEN GAVE HIM THE NICKNAME 'WINGDINGS' GASTER BECAUSE HE WAS SO OBSESSED WITH THEM! EVERY NIGHT BEFORE BEDTIME, DAD WOULD TELL ME STORIES OF WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG MONSTER."

"Hmm...ya know...that must be why they looked so familiar." Sans said, looking at his brother with awe. "Dr. Alphys called it the language of hands, so naturally I didn't think much of it but you're right. I forgot that wingdings were an alternative name. Can you read it Papyrus? You were always better at solving the language puzzle then I was and Dad taught you the letters when we were young. Can you still remember them and translate it? It would really help me out. I might be able to sleep better without this botherin' me all night."

"IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FEW YEARS BUT I CAN TRANSLATE IT EASY.” Papyrus bragged, puffing up his chest. “THEY DON’T CALL ME THE GREAT PAPYRUS FOR NOTHING! JUST LET ME GET SOME PAPER AND A PENCIL. OKAY…LET’S SEE HERE. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME REPEATED LETTERS IN THE BEGINNING. THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS; DARK, DARKER, YET DARKER...THE DARKNESS KEEPS GROWING. THE SHADOWS CUTTING DEEP…PHOTON READINGS NEGATIVE. THIS NEXT EXPERIMENT SEEMS VERY, VERY INTERESTING. WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK?"

Sans was silent, thinking about the words. "Welp, this just opens up a whole new bunch of questions! It feels like the killer is taunting me. Let's see...well, it's obvious the killer is addressing two people and I can't help but assume they are addressing Undyne and myself. We are the two detectives assigned to the case...but then again it could be addressed to somebody else and if not us, then who? The killer also mentioned an experiment, again what could that mean? Were they experimenting with the bullets? I have never seen a Monster killed by a bullet before but there's a first for everything. Perhaps it's an abstract kind of thing...that would tie in with the whole dark, darker, yet darker portion of the sentence. Ugh! My skull hurts just thinkin' about all this. I thought I finally had something and now I am more confused than ever. Nothing makes sense! If this killer was a Human, why would they even bother writing in an outdated Monster language? Something doesn't add up but I don't know what!"

Papyrus looked gently at his brother, "THE PUZZLE WILL STILL BE HERE IN THE MORNING, WHY DON'T YOU GET SOME SLEEP? A RESTED MIND CAN UNDERSTAND THINGS BETTER AND YOU HAVE HAD A VERY LONG DAY. EVEN I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, NEED TO REST NOW AND AGAIN. YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF IF YOU WANT TO CATCH THE KILLER. PUSHING YOURSELF WON'T HELP ANYBODY!"

"You are starting to sound like Alphys." Sans mused. He turned off the TV and started to head towards his bedroom.

Papyrus smiled proudly, "REGARDLESS OF HOW SOME MAY PERCEIVE ME, I ALWAYS PRIDE MYSELF ON LOOKING OUT FOR THE WELL BEING OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. I HAVE MET THE GREAT DOCTOR ALPHYS AND I TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT IF I AM TO BE COMPARED TO HER. NOW GET SOME SLEEP SANS AND I WILL DO THE SAME. THIS HAS BEEN A TRYING DAY FOR BOTH OF US AND A LITTLE SHUT EYE SOCKET WILL DO US ALL SOME GOOD."

The tired detective wandered into his room and got into bed. It might have been early but Sans didn't care. The only thing that mattered was his nice warm bed and pillow. Within minutes, the skeleton fell asleep. The moment his skull hit the pillow though, he fell into a horrifying nightmare that left him moaning and groaning. He tossed and turned restlessly while his mind went through the terror of the bad dream.

_Darkness seemed to be everywhere. It was like a sticky tar that pulled at his feet and made it hard to walk. Somebody was laughing at him, a mocking kind of laughter that seemed to be growing louder but when Sans turned around, there was nothing. All he could see in the endless darkness was a smile. He did not recognize the person but Human blood was dripping down the face of his anonymous attacker. Sans could hear the maniacal laughter, he could hear the sound of a gun going off and practically feel a bullet whiz past him. He called out for help but nobody came. He ran and ran, but his feet were slowing down. He was sinking into the gooey darkness and it was swallowing him up like quicksand. He reached up trying to grasp at something to pull him free but it was too late. He was pulled all the way through and he couldn't breathe. His body was now disintegrating and pain was everywhere all at once. Nobody could hear him scream._

Sans woke up with a start. Sitting up in bed, sweat beaded down his skull. He placed his hand over his chest, feeling his soul beating so quickly. He could practically taste the black tar substance that he envisioned in his nightmare. It had been many years since he had a dream that frightening. "I'm okay." Sans told himself, "I am safe and it was all in my imagination.”

Still as he got out of bed, his legs felt like jelly as he stumbled around his room. Even splashing cold water on his face did little to lessen the feeling of terror that he had just experience. He was startled when his phone started ringing and reaching on his nightstand, he checked the caller ID. It was Alphys. It must have been big news if she were to call him before work even started. The sun had barely risen in the sky. Did that lizard Monster even sleep? He answered the phone on the third ring. "Hello?" He asked, "Alphys? What's goin' on?"

"Hey Sans, I've got some great news!" Alphys bubbled happily on the other end, "Remember the writing on the bullet in the language of hands? Well, I looked them up in my dictionary last night and I found out what the words mean! I couldn't wait to tell you! I know it's kind of early but I wanted you to be the first one to know considering that you found the bullet in the first place!"

Sans hesitated, trying to find a way not to hurt her feelings. "Um...that's great news Alphys! Well done...but Papyrus already helped me figure out what the wingdings mean. Heh, it turns out that my bro has the whole wingdings alphabet memorized and by looking at the photos on the evening news last night, well he figured it out for me. I hope you're not offended, it just kind of worked out that way...sorry."

This seemed to have deflated Alphys' enthusiasm. "Oh...well...I should be the one to apologize. I-I didn't mean to b-bother you this early with redundant information. I didn’t realize that you would have…figured it out already. Do you…do you know what they mean? It is very strange.”

"I don't know." Sans said, yawning into the phone. "I woke up about five minutes ago but I do think that whole dark and darker thing gave me a bad dream last night."

"I am sorry to hear that. I also wanted to tell you that I had a few theories.” The lizard Monster admitted, “The wingdings mentioned an experiment but instead of the bullet, maybe the experiment was actually the death of the Monster kid. Now hear me out. As a scientist, I know from experience that in order to prove a hypothesis, experiments have to be done multiple times to prove the results are guaranteed and not a fluke. So that means, if this was an experiment, the killer will probably want try again to see if the result is the same. The killer is also asking our opinion on the death of the Monster kid…so we have to think hard. It’s not only a matter of what was done but why it was done in the first place. This could be our first clue to solving the case!”

Sans listened patiently but he was still sleepy. "Hey Alphys, not that this isn't interesting...it's actually very useful...but it's only 6 AM and I just woke up. Let me get ready for the day and we can talk about this some more when I arrive to the station. I am not angry that you called but I need some time to properly wake up."

"Oh, of course…sorry Sans, I got carried away." Alphys said shyly, "I'll talk to you later then."

With a beep, Sans turned off his phone and thought about what Alphys said. Between the nightmare and the good doctor's excited rambling, his skull ached from overthinking. Was it too late to go back to sleep? He eyed his bed wistfully but he went to his dresser instead. The sooner this mystery was solved, the better. Then maybe he can go back to having a peaceful night sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

“What do you mean you want to take the rest of the day off?” Undyne demanded angrily, following her partner out the door. "Where are you going? Sans! Come back here right now!"

After packing up his stuff, the skeleton ignored her but Undyne was not giving up. She reached over and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to stop in his tracks and look at her. “I know its Friday afternoon but c’mon, if we stop working now we will lose all our momentum. We just got the name of the Monster kid and the captain has already called up his family. We owe it to them. We owe it Mr. and Mrs. Sauros to bring Mikey’s killer to justice! We work best as a team and if you leave now, I won’t have anyone to verbally spar with as I brainstorm new ideas. Your chill attitude makes me feel motivated to do better, so I need you. At least tell me why you’re going!”

Sans paused, standing outside on steps of the police station. "I have already talked with the captain and he agreed with me. I need to think about those wingdings and sometimes, the best way to solve problems is to relax and think of somethin' else. We've been working on this case for over a week and we are no closer to finding the killer. I'm bone tired Undyne. I've been having nonstop nightmares ever since we found Mikey's dust in the park. I can barely stay awake as it is, much less being productive. So please, have a little faith in me. I just need to clear my head for a bit and while I'm at it, I might as well visit Frisk and tell her that she's no longer a suspect. The bakery is not far, it is close enough to teleport to easily. So, don't worry about me. I'll be back to work on Monday. Just let me have this afternoon."

Undyne crossed her arms and scowled, “I still can’t believe that pipsqueak wasn’t the murderer, I was so sure but I guess I can’t be right all the time. She’s still an assistant at the Sugar & Snails bakery, right? I will go with you. I might as well get it over with and apologize for my actions.”

“No offense but I was kind of hoping to go alone.” Sans admitted, looking awkwardly at the fish Monster. His hands were in his pockets and he watched his partner’s expression warily.

Undyne paused for a second, narrowing her good eye. “Why do you want to go alone? Are you embarrassed by me or something? I know that I was a little rough with the Human but that’s in the past and I have come to make amends. I mean seriously, you have made a ton of mistakes. No matter how awesome I seem to be, even I screw up occasionally. I want to tell her I’m sorry.”

Sans didn't answer but his cheekbones tinted with blue. He tried to look away but Undyne cackled with realization. "So....that's how it is! You are just using the blood results as an excuse to go over to the bakery and flirt with the Human pipsqueak. I mean, I remember seeing that goofy look on your face but I was only kidding back at the lab. I didn't realize that you were actually smitten with her. Oh my God! This is rich! This is freakin' adorable! You don't want me to come because you are afraid I’ll cramp your style. Well, okay skeleton man, if that's how you want to play it. If you are going home early I might as well go home too...after I talk to Alphys of course. She would love to hear about this! It's the cutest love story since Asgore met Toriel!"

"Don't even think about it." Sans said, narrowing his eye sockets. "It's none of your business what I do with my free time. I don’t need ya to start gossiping about me!"

"Alright, I'll leave you alone but I have to warn you Sans. There’s a reason why Humans and Monsters don’t hook up.” Undyne warned; her expression dark. “While we get along for the most part, Humans will never trust Monsters…not completely anyway. We look too different and we have magic. That is sometimes too hard to a Human to handle but who knows? Maybe Frisk is your soulmate? It’s rare but that can happen between a Human and a Monster. Even if it’s unlikely, I’ve seen weirder stuff. So good luck Romeo, you are really going to need it today!”

Glaring irritably at his partner, Sans teleported away in a flash of light. Reappearing in front of the bakery, the skeleton tried to calm down. Talking with Undyne had left him in a sour mood but when he looked through the glass window of Sugar & Snails, he smiled. Frisk was in the shop by herself, minding the bakery while Toriel was away. After talking with Asgore earlier that day, he knew that Toriel left to gather new ingredients around the same time every Friday. This was the perfect opportunity, this was his chance! Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and watched as the bored young woman turned her attention to him at the sound of the doorbell. She smiled pleasantly at first but then her expression darkened when she recognized the skeleton.

"Hello detective. What brings you here?" She asked, suspiciously watching as he came inside.

Sans smiled, looking around at the various goods for sale. Most people didn't realize this but Sugar & Snails was a bakery that catered to both Monsters and Humans alike. There were the usual baked goods like bread, cookies and cakes but there was also food for those with more...acquired tastes. Snail pie was a favorite among some Monster residents and others like Undyne preferred the seaweed muffins. It led to a strange but pleasant smell in the shop but the skeleton found himself becoming fond of it. He glanced at Frisk, noticing that she had been watching him with growing curiosity. Giving her a wink, he smiled flirtatiously. "I'm currently off duty, so please...call me Sans. As for why I have come here well, I have been cravin' something sweet. Do you have any suggestions?"

If she was surprised, Frisk didn't show it. "Well, I suppose it depends on what you like. Do you have any preferences? I'm not really sure what skeleton Monsters like. No offense, but I didn't even know that you were capable of eating. You don't have a stomach or a tongue, for that matter...so I'm a bit at a loss."

Sans laughed softly, "Well, ya got me there sweetheart but you'd be surprised. Skeleton Monsters don't need stomachs. When we eat the food, it simply turns into pure magical energy on our tongues and yes...we do have tongues. We also have some other...parts that you might not be aware of. It is amazing what a bit of magic can do. After all, if I did not have a tongue, I would be able to talk with ya. I also shouldn't be movin’ or seein' ya either, considering I don't have any muscles or eyeballs but there ya go. It is all magic! As for preferences...well...what about those pretty cookies over there? Did you make them? They look very delectable!"

Frisk paused for a minute, watching with fascination as the skeleton ran his blue tongue over his sharp teeth. Noticing her staring, he gave her another wink and caused the young woman to blush.

Shuffling over to the display case, she opened it up and took out a tray where soul shaped cookies were on display. There were seven different colors, displaying the Human souls and there were pure white ones representing the Monster souls. Sans admired the way the frosting was layered on, making it look as if the cookie had a glow. It was almost too nice to eat. "I baked these this morning with Toriel." Frisk said bashfully, "They have different frosting flavors depending on the cookie. Vanilla for the white ones, strawberry for the red, orange cream for the orange, lemon meringue for the yellow, blueberry for the blue, grape for the purple, mint for the green and raspberry for the cyan. I think they are all equally good."

Sans looked Frisk in the eye, "Hmmm…it’s a hard decision. Do you have a favorite?"

"Um...well, I've always liked strawberry." Frisk stuttered out, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"Then strawberry it is." Sans said, grinning wolfishly. "I'll take a cookie and a small coffee please. It will be a nice snack on a Friday afternoon."

Not bothering to comment, Frisk placed the cookie on a plate and filled up a cup of coffee. Ringing it up at the cash register, she watched Sans warily. She was not quite sure what to make of this skeleton coming into the shop but it was making her feel flustered. Ignoring her conflicting emotions, she tried to focus on the task at hand but despite feigning indifference, she could not help but watch as he went over to table to eat his snack. Considering the bakery was empty excluding the two of them, she was well aware of this Monster and how he was actually friendly, despite being a detective. Most Monster cops were suspicious of Humans and they did not always treat them with kindness. Sans was different but Frisk was not sure if it was a good different or a bad different. All she knew was that he was someone who really fascinated her.

"You are no longer a suspect by the way." Sans commented, munching on the cookie. "It turns out the blood we found on the Monster kid's sweater did not belong to you."

"How did you get my blood to compare? I didn’t give you a sample." Frisk demanded fiercely.

"Umm...well....remember when I dabbed your wound with my handkerchief?" Sans asked, looking sheepish. "We used that sample but please don't get mad. I know I didn't ask your permission but it was the only way. See, my partner is a very stubborn person and she was convinced that you were the murderer. I had to have proof of your innocence for her to let you go. She even wants to come here and apologize. She might not be the most patient detective but Undyne means well. Of course, I'd understand if you did not want to see her again. Even I knew it was risky to confront ya but what can I say? I like ya Frisk. I would like to get to know ya better if I can."

Frisk looked at him wide eyed, her face now crimson. "Look, you’ve been very kind de—Sans. You seem like a good person but I don’t really know you. How do I know you’re not lying to me right now? You say that I’m no longer a suspect but this could be a trick. You could be trying to lure me into a false sense of security before later twisting my words against me. Monsters usually don't like Humans, especially on this side of town. It's bad enough that I work for a Monster owned bakery but I have seen customers look at me like I've done something wrong. They act like I don't belong here. You say that you like me but how do I know you're not lying?"

"Well, I guess I have to show ya." Sans said, drinking the last of his coffee. "But I promise ya, I don't have some ulterior motive. I just think you're beautiful and I like your attitude. You are somethin’ special and I would like to spend time with ya.”

Speechless, Frisk saw the sincerity in his expression and felt her heart quicken in her chest. The skeleton got up, threw away his plate and his empty cup. Reaching into his pocket, he handed the young woman a business card with a name and a phone number listed on it. "If ya ever want to talk or if ya want to get together...call me. Regardless of the time, be it day or night, I would love to hear your voice. If you are not interested, I will leave ya be but I do hope ya give me a chance. I think we can be happy together, sweetheart."

Taking the card, Frisk looked at it briefly. It wasn’t fancy but it was his contact number. She turned her attention back to the skeleton but when she looked up, he had teleported away. For some reason, the bakery seemed emptier now than it had been before he had visited. Now that he was gone, Frisk felt the pangs of loneliness. Perhaps they did have a connection but Frisk did not know how to deal with it. Despite his charm, Sans could easily end up like all the others before.


	5. Chapter 5

After visiting the bakery, Sans did his best to stay busy. He could not stop thinking about Frisk and it was starting to become a problem. 

She was a distraction and after dealing with a homicide case that was currently at a standstill, it was far easier to think of that lovely Human woman then it was to wrack his brain around some strange message written in wingdings. So, the skeleton occupied his time by doing domestic things throughout the weekend. He went grocery shopping, he returned borrowed books to the library and he even delivered a letter at the post office, as per Papyrus’ request. Monday morning came quicker then he would have liked but at least he managed to get a few hours of sleep in, nightmares notwithstanding. Apparently, his imagination really loved to replay the same scenario of being swallowed up in black goo and slowly dying.

Papyrus either didn’t notice his change in mood or didn’t comment on it, because his brother acted as if it were any other Monday morning. As they ate their breakfast together, Sans felt his phone start buzzing and his soul leaped to his chest, hoping it was Frisk but after looking at the caller ID, it was Undyne. He glanced at the clock with confusion; usually she only called when he was very late. He still had plenty of time. Maybe his partner was just being impatient today?

Pushing the button, he accepted the call. On the other end of the phone, he could hear muffled shouting and banging. He could hear Undyne's strained breathing, it sounded like she was running. "Sans, we have another dead body!" She said, getting straight to the point as she usually did. "It's a Human and from the looks of things, she was shot dead yesterday by one of those bullets that killed little Mikey Sauros. You know the one with the weird looking wingdings? Well, this time the citizens are convinced that a Monster is the killer, not some random Human. When the woman was brought in, she had cuts all over her body that looked like they were made by sharp claws or some kind of knife. It was very gruesome; I've never seen anything like it. If I didn't see the bullet hole in her chest, I would have simply assumed that she had bled to death."

“Well don’t worry, I will be right over!” Sans said, quickly putting how bowl and spoon in the sink. “While I am on the road, could you please tell Alphys to find her wingdings dictionary? We can get started on deciphering the message on the new bullet when I get there. Also…do we know the identity of the Human yet? Was it…was she…somebody that we knew?”

He could almost hear the smile in her voice. “Calm down Romeo, it wasn’t Frisk. No, this victim was a fancy lawyer named Mrs. Amelia Glade. She was killed in a known Monster neighborhood on the south side of town. A few Humans were passing by and found her in a back alley, all bloody and with a gunshot wound to her chest. Considering her body's location and the scratches, they automatically assumed she was killed by a Monster. Now the rumors of a Monster killer are spreading and people think the ECPD is covering it up. Something about this doesn't feel right Sans. Monsters wouldn't use such physical means to kill a Human and while it's true that Monsters make up a majority of the police force, it's not like we are playing favorites with the murders we get. Mikey Sauros' death just gained more media attention because he was a child and his dust was found in a neutral zone but heh, good luck trying to convince the protesters rioting outside the station! They will not listen to reason, no matter how much we tell them!"

Sans sighed, taking in what he just heard. “What’s the captain doing? If the Humans think that Monsters are playing favorites in the police force, this riot could irrupt in a civil war. This is just what I had wanted to avoid! Is there anything I can do?”

“You need to stay home. These protesters are being violent and if you come to the station now, they could dust you before you could use your magic in self-defense.” Undyne explained sympathetically, “In order to avoid casualties, the captain is ordering all off-duty officers to not come in until the protesters have calmed down. When a Monster is threatened, it's our first instinct to use our magic and Humans are so fragile. The last thing we want is to add police brutality to the list of complaints those angry and grieving Humans are chanting. The officers that are already here are doing damage control, trying to convince the people that we are only here to help and that our magic is to be only used as a last resort. Asgore is doing all he can but it's getting crazy out there. People are throwing rocks at the windows and they are armed with guns, knives and pitchforks. It looks bad. I should probably go."

“Okay, I get it. I don’t like it but I’ll stay home.” Sans grumbled. “Be careful Undyne.”

He heard some muffled shouting on the other end until finally, Undyne came back. “Sorry about that. I had to deal with a man trying to force himself inside the station. He had a torch and pitchfork, looking like something out of a Frankenstein movie. Anyway, you’re doing the right thing Sans. Before I forget though, Alphys wanted me to tell you that she translated the newest batch of wingdings. If you want, I can tell you them and you can still focus on solving the case.”

Sans brightened up, “Hey, that’s a great idea! If I stare at the new words, I might be able to wrack my skull around a solution. Just give me a second to get some paper to write this all down...hmm...okay...I am ready.”

“I might be paraphrasing but this is basically what it said.” Undnye told him, her voice lower as if telling a secret, “The darkness is getting closer. Can you two stop it from swallowing up the light? I think not. People scream for blood and chaos is the core of the experiment. You lose.”

“The killer is mocking us.” Sans said, after a minute. “They know we have no new clues.”

“I am aware of that it’s really starting to piss me off!” Undyne growled angrily, “This whole case is driving me crazy! We have two deaths now. A Monster child killed by what looks to be a Human killer and a Human woman killed by what looks to be a Monster killer. Do you think it's the same person? Maybe the wingdings bullets were just a coincidence. It could be a copycat killer, getting revenge for Mikey's death maybe but why this lawyer? Was it all random or intentional? Ugh...well, I guess I'll have to think about it later. This mob outside is quickly getting out of hand. I will call you later when things calm down and maybe once we have a chance to breathe, we can focus on solving the latest clue."

After Undyne hung up, Sans stared down his phone in frustration. He should be there with his partner, protecting the station from the furious Humans rioting outside but the captain was right. Magic was part of a Monster's nature and if they were provoked enough, more Humans could end up hurt. He growled angrily, clenching his jawbone and shoving his phone into his pocket.

There was nothing he could do except stare at those stupid wingdings! Papyrus must have sensed his repressed anger because he peeked out of the kitchen looking very concerned. "SANS? IS SOMETHING THE MATTER? USUALLY YOU ARE DRIVING OFF TO WORK THIS TIME OF DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? IS UNDYNE OKAY? WHY WAS SHE CALLING?"

Sans tried to relax, smiling reassuringly at his innocent little brother. "Oh, it's nothing to worry about! Everything is fine. The captain just wants me to stay home today and study the new wingdings we found. Alphys already translated them but I am trying to piece together the clues. Undyne just called to tell me the meaning of the wingdings as she deals with…other, more pressing matters. Tibia honest, I think this case is the biggest puzzle yet! Want to help me bro? You have always been good at solving riddles and I could use a fresh mind to help me think about these wingdings. I am trying to see if there is a connection between the first clue and the second clue. If I figure it out, it could help me a lot!"

Papyrus nodded, "WHATEVER YOU NEED BROTHER, I AM HAPPY TO ASSIST! PUZZLES ARE MY SPECIALTY AND THIS MOMENT CAN GIVE US TIME TO TALK. I KNOW YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS CASE AND WHILE I DON'T KNOW EVERY DETAIL, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW PROUD I AM. I USED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT YOU. AFTER DAD DIED, I SAW YOU GO FROM A CHEERFUL SKELETON TO ONE THAT WAS DEPRESSED AND WHO SLEPT ALL DAY. YOU WERE LAZY AND MISERABLE AND I FELT SO HELPLESS. THAT'S WHY I GAVE YOU SUCH A HARD TIME WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER. I KNOW THIS SITUATION IS SERIOUS AND TRAGIC BUT YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY BROTHER. TO SEE YOU BE THIS DEDICATION IN THE CAUSE FOR JUSTICE, WELL...IT MAKES ME GLAD THAT I HAD PRESSURED YOU NOT TO GIVE UP." 

"Heh, well it was your idea that I start working again." Sans said, grinning sheepishly. "You and your badgering helped me a lot. As a detective, at least I feel like I’m helping to prevent others from going through the same pain we went through. Nobody should have their parent murdered with no sense of closure.”

"THEY NEVER DID FIND DAD'S KILLER, DID THEY?" Papyrus said sadly, "IT'S SUCH A SHAME. DO YOU SUPPOSE THIS ONE COULD BE...?”

Sans shook his head, "No, this killer wasn't dad's killer. Dad was killed 15 years ago and he wasn't shot by some bullet covered in wingdings. No, this situation is very different. It seems that the killer is trying to send us a message. The darkness is getting closer. Can you two stop it from swallowing up the light? I think not. People scream for blood and chaos is the core of the experiment. You lose. Like in the last message, the theme was darkness. I know that photon means light, so the last message talked about the absence of light in the darkness. Somehow, I don’t think the words darkness and light should be taken literally. I think it is more of a metaphor but still, what could it all mean? It sounds like a detached observation.”

Papyrus looked thoughtful, "WELL...DARKNESS CAN BE A WORD TO DESCRIBE EVIL AND LIGHT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS GOODNESS. PERHAPS IT MEANS THAT EVIL IS COMING CLOSER AND OVERTAKING GOODNESS. THE MESSAGE ALSO SAID THAT CHAOS IS THE EXPERIMENT. WHAT IF THE KILLER WANTS TO CAUSE VIOLENT CHAOS FOR THE SAKE OF CHAOS? HUMANS AND MONSTERS ARE ALREADY HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ALONG; PERHAPS THIS IS JUST A MEANS TO MAKE IT WORSE? IT CAN BE A PLOY TO STIR UP RESENTMENTS AND ANGER."

The smaller brother looked surprised, "That makes a lot of sense! The killer wants war. That's why a Monster was killed and that's why a Human was killed. If both sides think the other has drawn the first blow, then a full out war could start between the Humans and Monsters! Papyrus, you’re a bone-afied genius! That’s the answer!”

"OH, TELL ME SOMETHING I DO NOT ALREADY KNOW! NYEH HEH HEH!" Papyrus said, laughing happily. "NOW WE KNOW THE MOTIVE OF THE KILLER. DOES THE POLICE HAVE ANY SUSPECTS? PERHAPS THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO LOOKED OVERLY INTERESTED IN THE DEATHS OF THE HUMAN OR THE MONSTER CHILD?"

“Well, Undyne and some of the other officers believed that a Human woman named Frisk killed Mikey Sauros but I thought differently.” Sans explained, “It’s like my partner says, I am a pretty good judge of character and I know she didn’t do it. However, I think she knows a lot more than she’s been letting on. When I talked with her, I noticed that she is overly defensive and very guarded in her posture. She might not have killed Mikey but I think she knows who did. It’s just a hunch but I have no proof. I’ll probably have to go to the bakery again to find out more.”

“IF SHE DOES KNOW, MAYBE SHE’S SCARED.” Papyrus suggested, he noticed Sans’ conflicted expression. “JUST BECAUSE SHE’S NOT TELLING US EVERYTHING, IT DOESN’T MEAN THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME. JUST BE PATIENT, BROTHER.”

Sans nodded, looking quiet and thoughtful. He stared pacing around the living room, thinking about the wingdings and the connection to the murder. Suddenly there was a pounding noise at the door that startled the two skeletons out of their thoughts. There was a pause and then the pounding on the door continued until finally, Papyrus made a move to open the door. 

"Let me check first! We don’t know who it could be." Sans insisted, putting up a hand but it was too late. Papyrus had opened the door to see a distressed young woman, covered with burns and torn clothing. She looked at the two brothers, her eyes squinting with repressed tears.


	6. Chapter 6

When the door finally opened, Frisk stumbled into the skeletons' house and started breathing heavily. Her shirt was torn and her jeans had scorch marks on them, the evidence of what she had just experienced. There was a long, shocked silence as the two brothers stared at the Human on their doorstep. Finally, Papyrus went over and offered his hand to the exhausted woman, smiling gently in hopes to not frighten her away. “HUMAN…ARE YOU ALRIGHT? WHAT HAPPENED? YOU LOOK AS IF YOU WERE ATTACKED! ARE YOU BEING HUNTED?”

Frisk managed to catch her breath, looking from Papyrus to Sans. “It’s the bakery!” She explained, “Sugar & Snails bakery is under attack! Toriel tried calling for help but nobody was answering, not even the police! It was horrible. The whole street is overrun with people in masks and they were attacking every building they saw! They were throwing rocks, breaking windows and throwing these weird looking bottles filled with burning fabric to start fires. I barely escaped with my life and that’s only because Toriel defended me. Sans, I know you are just an off-duty detective but even if you two are not firemen, I need help! Toriel is still trapped inside! We have to go help her. The bad people are going to kill her, please help me rescue her!”

Tears fell down her cheeks as Frisk spoke, her head bent down as she sobbed. “Please help me.”

Despite his conflicting feelings about the woman, Sans smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Shhh…it will be okay. Ya did the right thing Frisk. Ya got help, now all ya have to do is rest here while we figure out what to do. I am surprised ya made it all the way here on foot! Shin splints! The bakery is at least two or three miles away. Ya must be exhausted! How did ya know where I lived, anyway?"

"You gave me your business card, remember?" Frisk said, looking uneasy. "I did not have time to find a phone but I recognized the street in the address and I just ran, without thinking really."

Sans blushed, rubbing the back of his vertebrae sheepishly, "Oh yeah...well I guess that makes more sense....heh heh...well...I am just glad ya kept the card. Tibia honest, I sort of assumed that you would have thrown it away by now. It was kind of a long shot and I was not sure if you were actually interested. So...I guess it all works out, huh? Though the violent riot was a bit of a surprise. This was not really how I expected our reunion to go..."

THIS POOR HUMAN JUST ESCAPED FROM A DANGEROUS SITUATION." Papyrus told Sans, sternly. "IF THERE IS A RIOT IN DOWNTOWN EBOTT CITY, WE HAVE TO GO HELP. TORIEL IS IN TROUBLE AND IT IS OUR DUTY TO ASSIST. WHY ARE YOU NOT ACTING MORE SURPRISED? THIS IS TERRIBLE! ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE!"

His brother shrugged and smiled apologetically. "I know and I get that it's a big deal...but Undyne already told me about the riot. She called me earlier, telling me to stay home and to solve the wingdings puzzle. She also mentioned that there were angry protesters outside the police station...whelp, it looks like the riot spread. The bakery is not far from the station and if the police are not responding to 911 calls...so...that can't be good. Plus, there's a new victim, a Human named Amelia Glade. The Humans think she was killed by a Monster and that the ECPD is covering it up. Captain Dreemurr thought it would calm down but I guess that didn't happen. He's goin' to need his back up officers now more than ever! Ugh...Undyne is goin' to be so pissed at me but hey, it's easier to beg for forgiveness then ask permission and we can't just let Toriel be a victim of an angry mob..."

Frisk looked at Sans with a grateful smile. Papyrus was walking back and forth, glancing at Frisk. "HUMAN, WAS THIS AMELIA GLADE A CHILD TOO? I KNOW THE PAIN OF LOSING AN INNOCENT LIFE. PERHAPS WE COULD REASON WITH THESE PROTESTERS. IF THEY KNOW THAT WE MEAN THEM NO HARM, WE COULD CONVINCE THEM WE ARE ONLY TRYING TO HELP. IT'S A COMMUNITY PROBLEM!"

Frisk shook her head. "No! Amelia Glade was not a child. She was a famous lawyer that defended Humans in court against Monsters in power. That's why everyone is so upset! For years Humans have resented the Monsters who hold more power! Isn't it obvious why they are angry? This goes beyond simple negotiations."

"Angry or not, destroying Ebott City is not how civilized people deal with problems." Sans said, darkly. "I mean I get it. A fox Monster is mayor and a goat Monster is the police captain but it is not like we wanted that power! Humans might not have magic but they have a larger population. If they wanted to do something good for the city, then the Monsters would let them but killing is not the answer!"

Frisk looked down, “Even if it’s not the answer, people still want change. I…I have heard… people talk about this. I did not realize it would happen so soon and to hurt innocent Monsters...”

The Human woman trailed off and Sans looked at her, his expression hardening. “Did ya know this was going to happen? Ya seem to know a lot about this Amelia Glade too. Does she have a connection to Mikey Sauros? Do ya know who killed them? Was it one person or multiple people? I know ya know something! What are you not tellin’ us?”

For a long minute Frisk was silent. She looked guilty and she could not look Sans in the eye.

“BROTHER, NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR AN INTERROGATION!” Papyrus scolded, crossing his arms in annoyance. “FRISK IS OUR GUEST AND SHE NEEDS OUR HELP. IF THE FIREMEN AND THE POLICE ARE UNABLE TO SAVE MRS. DREEMURR, WHO I REMIND YOU, IS CAPTAIN ASGORE’S WIFE, THEN WE MUST ALL GO TO RESCUE HER! I KNOW YOU ARE FRUSTRATED BUT THIS IS NOT THE TIME OR PLACE TO ANTAGONIZE FRISK. LET’S RESCUE HER BOSS. ALL WE ARE DOING NOW IS SITTING ON OUR HANDS LIKE SOME USELESS SACKS OF BONES. I WILL NOT STAND BY, DOING NOTHING. IT IS OUR DUTY AS CITIZENS OF EBOTT CITY AND AS THEIR FRIENDS!”

Wincing with embarrassment, Sans knew his brother was right. “Okay Frisk, I get it. You have secrets and it’s not like ya want to spill your guts before a big rescue. I will let this slide but please, if we are to be friends, then ya gotta be honest with me.”

The young woman nodded and to his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. “I know I haven’t given you much reason to trust me.” Frisk told Sans quietly, whispering so that his brother couldn't hear. “But after we rescue Toriel, I promise I will tell you everything. I really want to help you but things are complicated. I am afraid Sans…I am afraid that once you know everything, you might not like me anymore but...you have to believe me when I say I would never hurt you. I would never hurt you, your brother or anybody else. Please trust me Sans. I trust you. I would not have come here if I did not trust you."

Sans felt her arms around his bones, feeling her heart beating against his rib cage. She was soft to the touch but as quickly as she held onto him, the Human went to the doorway leaving his slack jawed and unable to comprehend what just happened. Looking at Frisk, she was blushing too and it made him feel frustrated and confused all over again. Who was this Human? Was she a friend or foe and why did she make him feel like this? He was becoming too emotionally compromised.

He was brought back to reality at the sound of Papyrus’ voice. “SANS! STOP YOUR DAYDREAMING AND GET YOUR TAILBONE OVER HERE! WE HAVE TO DECIDE ON OUR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION! DO YOU THINK DRIVING OR TELEPORTING SHOULD BE THE WAY TO GO? I AM DREADFUL AT TELEPORTING BUT YOU CAN DO IT EASILY AND IT IS A FASTER ALTERNATIVE. HOWEVER, DRIVING PRESERVES OUR VALUABLE MAGICAL ENERGY. SO, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?”

“We will teleport there.” Sans said, trying to get his skull in the game. “Ya don’t have to be good at teleporting because I will just take ya both along for the ride. It might use up a lot of magic on my end but it will be the safest method of travel. If the buildings are on fire, we have to be careful and the car would only get in the way.”

“RIGHT! OKAY, COME HERE FRISK, WE HAVE TO TOUCH SANS IF WE WANT TO FOLLOW HIM AS HE TELEPORTS.” Papyrus said, instructing the Human to hold onto one hand while he held onto the other. The two skeletons and one woman looked awkward holding hands in the center of the room but it did not matter. Sans closed his eyes and willed them to be transported in a blink of blue light. It might have taken a little longer than usual but all was well when they landed. Only Frisk seemed disorientated, putting her hand to her head feeling dizzy.

“Is the Earth shaking or is it just me?” She asked, wearily glancing at the detective.

Sans smiled sympathetically. “That’s just teleportation sickness. It happens when you’re not used to traveling like that. Don’t worry; it will go away in about a minute.”

Papyrus did not waste any time. The moment his feet touched the ground, he started rushing towards the bakery. In the panic, Monsters and Humans alike were running through the streets and flames were starting to creep along the buildings’ infrastructures. The rioters marched in the center of the street, all wearing wooden masks with a big red smiley face in the center. It looked creepy and to Sans, it looked like something out of his nightmares. He hesitated and the rioters took full advantage of it. Frisk was vulnerable, trying to get over her dizziness and the Humans in masks started throwing rocks at her. Sans could hear their taunts and insults, it made him feel a furious rage. His left eye glowed blue and by using his magic, he lifted some of the attackers up in the air and tossed them away. That should have stopped them but it only made them angry. 

Now instead of throwing rocks, the rioters turned their guns on him and started shooting in rapid fire, aiming to kill but luckily, Papyrus came to the rescue. He acted on instinct and created a shield made of blue and white bones. The bones deflected the bullets but the rioters were becoming relentless with their attacks. Each of the masked Humans had a weapon but luckily, guns were not owned by everyone. Papyrus winced as projectiles bounced off his magical shield.

As the three of them inched forward, Sans noticed a fire hydrant nearby. Sugar & Snails was starting to collapse under the growing flames and time was running out. There were shouts for help coming from inside the bakery but the air was too hot and there were too many attackers. The skeleton glanced at his brother and the Human. “We don’t have hose, so we’ll have to make do. If we don’t act quickly, there will be nothing left! Papyrus, are you okay?”

“I AM FINE, SANS! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS STRONG AND CAN HANDLE ANYTHING BUT…PLEASE HURRY.” Papyrus grunted, his eyes now glowing orange from the effort of maintaining the magical bone shield. “MORE HUMANS ARE COMING AND I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE STOP THEM FROM ATTACKING YOU FOR MUCH LONGER!”

Frisk looked at Sans, “I will go inside and look for Toriel. You focus on getting that fire hydrant open and aiming the water towards the bakery. It won’t take me very long. I know Sugar & Snails better than my own apartment. When I have Toriel outside with me, you can teleport everyone out of here if the fire is not out in time.”

“That’s a bad idea!” Sans protested. “What if you get trapped? You could die Frisk!”

The woman looked at him, her brown eyes staring deep into his eye sockets. “I have to go Sans!”

She ran into the burning building before Sans could say anything else. Growling angrily, the skeleton Monster used the last of his strength to magic up a sharp femur and aimed it towards the hydrant. Puncturing it like a tin can, water started spraying everywhere and Sans created a few more bones to create a long tunnel, giving the water some direction as he aimed it towards Sugar & Snails. It was doing little good and the Humans in the red smiley masks were not making it any easier for him. Even Papyrus could not keep away every projectile from falling towards his direction. He felt the bullets whiz past his skull but he kept the water flowing towards the bakery.

The smoke was starting to plume up towards the sky and the wild flames were getting smaller. Finally, looking towards the doorway, Frisk came out helping Toriel Dreemurr out of the burning building. The goat Monster’s fur was now dark from the soot and she was coughing hoarsely but she seemed to be alright for the most part. The rescue seemed to happen in the nick of time because the moment the two came outside, most of the roof collapsed, sending out red hot cinders in the air. Frisk started coughing but she smiled at Sans, reaching to give him her hand.

The moment that Frisk and Toriel touched Sans, Papyrus dropped his bone shield. They all reached for the smaller skeleton at the same time and in a flash of blue magic, he teleported them away. They landed in front of Ebott City General Hospital and it must have been the last desperate thought in his head because the moment they arrived, Sans landed hard on the cement sidewalk. The Monster detective passed out because the last thing he heard before he faded in the void was Frisk screaming his name and the sensation of his brother trying to shake him awake.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the lovely comments and kudos. While I usually post on Tuesdays and Fridays, I figured an early chapter would not hurt. Tomorrow I will be too busy anyway and if it were me, I would want an early chapter. So here it is and I hope you enjoy.

Sans did not know where he was. He could hear the sound of a breathing machine over his nasal cavity and his eye sockets blinked open and looked around. Everything was so bright but nothing was familiar. He glanced around, looking for his brother but instead he spotted a computer that was measuring his HP and his magical energy. It was dangerously low for someone with 1 HP but somehow, he was still alive. Sans groaned in pain, realizing that he could not move around.

“Don’t even think about it bonehead!” His partner warned, “Your body is currently in recovery mode and until the HP and magic levels are back to normal, you are not moving from this bed.”

Undyne was sitting in a chair, watching him as he rested on his hospital cot. He smiled sheepishly at her but the fish Monster was beyond angry. “Do you know how worried I have been? You disobeyed the captain’s orders and you ignored my suggestion to stay home. What’s worse? You brought your little brother into a dangerous area filled with violent rioters and burning buildings. You could have been killed! Papyrus could have been killed! Even that little pipsqueak Frisk could have been killed, all because you were stupid and reckless enough to go!”

“Are…are they…okay?” Sans asked, struggling to speak because of the breathing machine.

“If by okay you mean they are not dead, then yeah…they are all peachy.” Undyne said, sarcastically. “Frisk and Toriel are covered with burns. It’s a miracle that Mrs. Dreemurr made it out alive. She was close to dust but somehow, she managed to pull through. Papyrus is doing alright; he’s mostly exhausted and worried about you. It seems that you’ve made quite an impression on him. Did you know he was considering becoming a police officer just like you?”

Sans groaned and Undyne barked out a laugh. “That’s what you get for being heroic, bonehead!”

The fish Monster then shook her head with irritation “You know what annoys me the most? That somehow after all that stupidity the captain is now considering you three as heroes. It turns out that Toriel, Frisk’s mentor and boss is also the wife of Asgore. Can you believe it? It’s a small world, huh? So now instead of being fired, you are being nominated for an award. Personally, I think that’s a bit much, considering that you disobeyed direct orders but I suppose I could let it slide. Still, that makes one heck of a story, one that you can tell your grandchildren about, eh?”

Sans glared at Undyne, deciding to quickly change the subject. “So…where…is everyone? How much longer…do I have…to stay here? I want to…see Frisk. I have…to see…if she’s okay. It’s my fault…it’s all my fault. I…I should have…I should have made her stay at home. She could have…died.”

“You’re damn right she could have died!” Undyne told him, her eye narrowing, “But then again, if she’s just as stubborn as you, I doubt you could have kept her at your home like some kind of pet. She was worried about Toriel and with good reason. The canine officers have apprehended most of the Human Revolutionaries, that’s what they were calling themselves. A few of them might have gotten away but the ones we caught are being charged for the destruction of property, murder and attempted murder. We lost a few good Monsters in that riot. Luckily, they got bored of terrorizing the police station and moved onto the nearby buildings. That gave us the chance to go out and arrest them. They were seeking out any store or workplace that catered to both species. These punks were really against integration but things are better now. The fires were put out but I am afraid that the bakery you rescued Mrs. Dreemurr from, it’s basically beyond repair now.”

“Are you done lecturing me?” Sans asked, “I get it, I screwed up. Can we move on?”

Undyne shrugged, “Alright, fine! Take all the fun away. I might as well go get the doctor. She told me to fetch her when you woke up, so I guess I better go find her. Heh, stay there bonehead! Don’t go wandering off. You’ll get to see your brother and Frisk the moment the doctor clears you and gives you permission to move. Until then, stay still and don’t you dare get up again!”

Sans pouted but he did as he was told. As he stared up at the ceiling, listening to the breathing machine and feeling the magic return to his body, Sans felt more like himself again. He thought about the two murders and wondered if things were really so simple as to arrest a bunch of miscreants who called themselves Revolutionaries. He knew he should be happy that everyone was safe and that the bad guys were caught but something in his soul told him the danger was not over. It was driving him nuts, this feeling of trapped helplessness. Why couldn’t he accept a win?

Suddenly he heard some footsteps, turning his skull, Sans saw a Human doctor. She was a tall, skinny, no nonsense kind of woman with spectacles and her brown hair tied back in a functional bun. The doctor studied a clipboard with information that Papyrus must have obviously filled out. Sans watched as she moved around the room and checked the status of the two machines.

“Hmm…things are healing nicely.” The doctor commented, before turning to him and giving him a polite nod, “My name is Doctor Madeline Hooper. I trust you are feeling much better?”

Sans nodded, “I’m bone tired but tibia honest, I am ready to get this thing…off me.”

Doctor Hooper smiled understandingly. “I guess you no longer need the breathing machine. Just give me a second and…there…how is that? I wasn’t sure how much extra oxygen your body needed...if it needed oxygen at all. I have not worked on a skeleton before but it seemed to be helping you recover your magical energy. Your partner…Undyne…was it? She was very concerned about you. You are lucky to have such a loving mate to be by your side during this.”

“Um, we are professional partners, not romantic ones!” Sans said, trying to contain his laughter. “Besides, she’s not exactly my type and I know damn well sure that I’m not her type. She’s more interested in yellow female lizard Monsters but that’s fine by me! I think she just wanted to stay near my side because she wanted to give me grief on disobeying her orders and getting into trouble. She can be very annoying.”

“Oh, well forgive me for assuming.” Doctor Hooper said, looking away awkwardly. “I just thought that since you’re both Monsters and you are close you must be romantically involved.”

“Don’t worry about it; it’s no skin off my back.” Sans said, shrugging. “So, doc, when can I leave? I want to see my brother and my friends. My HP is almost back to normal; shouldn’t that mean I can get up? How is Toriel Dreemurr? How is Frisk? Undyne told me that they both suffered from serious burns. I have to see them!”

Doctor Hooper stared at the skeleton in confusion but then she smiled. “Oh yes, Mrs. Toriel Dreemurr and Ms. Frisk Gonzales! Ms. Gonzales only suffered from first degree burns around her legs and hands. She also had some breathing problems from inhaling too much smoke but I believe she will make a full recovery in a day or two. Mrs. Dreemurr on the other hand will probably stay here longer. Her burns were more severe but luckily, she did not fall into a coma, as Monsters usually do when their body is beyond repair. Magic laced food should help her heal but we don’t know how long it will take. It mostly depends on Mrs. Dreemurr’s desire to live. She is currently resting in one of our long-term rooms.”

“Well, I suppose it could be worse. Thank you, doctor.” Sans said, giving a long sigh. He looked distant and smiled wistfully. “So, Frisk’s last name is Gonzales…I guess it’s just something else I didn’t know about her. I never expected her to run inside and risk her life to save Toriel but she did and now they are both injured but alive. She’s the most determined woman I have ever met.”

The exhaustion of the rescue and the comfort of his hospital bed were starting to make him drowsy. He gave a yawn, closed his eye lids and fell into a deep sleep. As a 1 HP Monster, he had expended more magical energy then was healthy but Doctor Hooper was not concerned. Checking his status one last time, she gave a small smile and left the room quietly. In the meantime, Papyrus was pacing around in the waiting room, waiting alongside Asgore Dreemurr.

“Papyrus, please stop your pacing! You are making me anxious.” Asgore said, sitting in the chair with a magazine in his hand. “I’m worried about them too but until the doctor comes out to give us an update, there is nothing we can do. Perhaps you could go read something as I am doing.”

The tall skeleton paused and looked at the police captain. “I AM SORRY BUT I COULDN’T FOCUS ON A MAGAZINE IF I TRIED! I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED SANS BETTER AND KEPT HIM BETTER SHIELDED. I SHOULD HAVE URGED FRISK TO STAY AT OUR HOME AND NOT GO INSIDE A BURNING BUILDING. WHAT IF FRISK DIES? SHE IS A HUMAN, NOT A MONSTER SO SHE IS MORE DELICATE AND VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO BURNS! IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN MAGICAL FOOD TO HEAL HER INJURIES. I REALLY HATE BEING USELESS!”

While Papyrus was ranting and looking upset, Doctor Hooper smiled behind him. She gave a cough and the two Monsters turned their attention onto the woman in the long white uniform.

“DOCTOR, HOW IS EVERYONE!” Papyrus asked, “THEY HAVEN’T DIED HAVE THEY?”

“Everybody is doing fine.” Doctor Hooper said reassuringly, “Mr. Skeleton is sleeping, Ms. Gonzales is currently having her hands and feet bandaged and Mrs. Dreemurr…well you are welcome to visit your wife Captain Asgore. She’s sleeping too but we have her well medicated so she can focus all her energy on healing. Her HP was dangerously low when she was brought in and while she is starting to recover, we want to make sure that she heals to the best of her ability. Don’t be alarmed by her burns, they have been treated. The best thing we can do for her is to wait, but I figured you would want to see her. I know if my own wife was burned to the same degree, I would want to see her too. So, I can understand your worries. Please, come right this way. Papyrus, you can come too if you want but you both need to be quiet while you are there. Not everyone is used to seeing skeleton Monsters or goat Monsters walking about here.”

The two Monsters nodded, following Doctor Hooper through the hallways of the hospital. When they got to room 27, Asgore gasped as he saw his wife lying on the hospital bed with a breathing machine over her nose. He had brought yellow buttercups from his garden but when he saw Toriel looking as she did, he grasped tightly to the flowers and tried not to let tears fall down his cheeks. He had to be strong but Papyrus was there and the skeleton patted his shoulder comfortingly. “WHY DON’T I GO FIND A VASE TO PUT THOSE FLOWERS IN? THAT WAY WHEN MRS. DREEMURR WAKES UP, SHE CAN SEE THIS LOVELY BOUQUET!”

Asgore startled, looking at the flowers and smiled at Papyrus. “Yes, that is a fine idea. Thanks.”

The skeleton went off looking for a gift shop to buy a vase, intending to give the police captain some privacy. His soul sympathized with the older Monster. He too was worried but Papyrus knew that the best thing to do in situations like this was to keep moving and to keep being productive. Sometimes keeping busy was the only way to keep the anxieties and fears from creeping back and haunting him. He hated hospitals. They brought back too many bad memories.


	8. Chapter 8

_Sans felt the darkness close in around him as he ran down the empty street. Tears streamed down his cheekbones but despite his hurried pace, the road ahead only grew longer. His dad was waiting for him at their old house, just as he used to do in the early years and as always, he had a big smile on his face. Sans felt his soul leap inside his rib cage, he was so excited to his dad again. Gaster reached for him too but when Sans looked again, the older skeleton had long cracks on his skull. It was too late. Gaster made a strange sound, almost like a moan and his body disappeared into a large pile of dust. He was gone. Gaster was dead and Sans heard himself scream in despair. Their old house disappeared and the road that he had been standing on turned into a long river of black goo. He was being swallowed up alive and pulled into the deep depths of eternity. He was alone in the endless void and nobody was even looking for him._

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Sans awoke to the noise of the HP machine. The gentle beeping reminded him of where he was and the skeleton let out a long groan. He rubbed his skull, trying to comprehend the nightmare that he had just experienced. It did not make much sense but just like all the other nightmares, it basically ended up with him being swallowed alive in black goo and watching as his dad turned into dust. It was not a memory though. He had been 12 years old, not much more than a baby bones when his father had died. Mr. Gerson from next door was babysitting him and his brother because Gaster always worked late on weekdays. It had been an ordinary Wednesday when Mr. Gerson got the call; Sans could still remember the look of horror on the turtle Monster’s face.

Some random Human, not unlike one of those Revolutionaries, had attacked his dad and had killed him in cold blood. Gaster had been taken to the hospital for his extensive injuries before falling into a coma and later on, collapsing into a pile of dust. He had not seen his father die but he had heard the story many times. He had been heartbroken when he heard the news and poor little Papyrus; the nine-year-old boy did not even realize what had happened. All Sans knew was that his dad was gone forever. That was the day they became orphans, it was his worst memory.

“You don’t look so good. Did you have a bad dream?” Doctor Hooper asked, coming into the room. She smiled sympathetically at the young skeleton who could still feel his bones covered in a cold sweat. His limbs were shaking from the memory. Sans nodded and sat up, looking dazed.

“A bad dream would be an understatement.” Sans commented, “It’s just…this place brings back bad memories. My dad…well my dad died at this hospital 15 years ago.”

“Then it is no wonder that you had a bad dream!” Doctor Hooper said, “But you will be happy to know you can leave your room now. Your magic levels and HP are back to normal. Though I would advise you to take it easy for a while and that means no teleporting for at least 24 hours. You can go home now, sleep in your own bed. You can also go visit Ms. Gonzales, I know she misses you. She is resting in the room next to yours and I think she could use some company.”

The light in Sans’ eye sockets brightened at thought of seeing Frisk again. He hopped off the bed, looking to freshen up but before he did anything, he first went over to the leaving Doctor Hooper and offered her his hand. “Thanks for everything doc! I know it must have been hard, what with us randomly showing up and me bein’ a Monster and all but…let me just say, I do feel a skele-ton better. Thanks for takin’ care of us and saving lives.”

Doctor Hooper smiled and shook his hand. “It was my pleasure. I hope you all feel better soon.” 

When the room was empty again, Sans soon found his shorts and a blue hoody and put them on. He had to make himself more presentable if he wanted to see his favorite Human. As he went next door, he spotted a very bored Frisk sitting on her own hospital bed and staring out the window. Her bandaged legs were under the covers and her bandaged hands were at her side, Sans could tell she was uncomfortable, as she tried not to scratch at the wrappings. She looked so fragile and so unhappy; the thought of cheering her up gave Sans the courage to come forward.

He gave a cough and the young woman turned her head and smiled at his surprise appearance.

“Sans! You are awake! I was wondering about you!” Frisk exclaimed, “How are you doing?”

The skeleton sauntered into the room and jumped on Frisk’s bed. He placed himself right next to the young woman. “Well for the longest time I was bone tired but now that I’m back to normal, I started thinkin’ about ya and heard the news. I was worried about ya sweetheart. The doctor told me about your burns. Are you in pain? It looks bad!”

Frisk glanced down at her hands and feet. “I have some good pain killers, so I’m alright. It looks a lot worse than it is. The bandages are there to keep the burns from getting infected and to stop me from messing with the peeling skin. It’s mostly itchy but I got lucky, compared to poor Toriel. I heard she was recovering but that she had been badly burned, burned far worse than I was. I can’t help but feel that it was my fault. I should not have left her alone in that bakery. I should have helped her and fended off those Revolutionaries myself but instead, I just ran away.”

“Well, call me selfish but I’m glad that ya got my help.” Sans said, stubbornly, “Frisk, those Revolutionaries had guns! If ya didn’t have backup…ya could have been shot and killed. I…I don’t even want to think about that! In fact, I’ve been wishin’ that ya stayed at my home, safe and out of harm’s way. I should have been the one to rescue Toriel. I’m the detective; I should have done a better job at protectin’ you.”

“But it was my fault the bakery was attacked!” Frisk told him, staring Sans down. “It was my call, my decision to go into the burning building and even with these burns, I have no regrets. I couldn’t just let Toriel die! She’s been like a mom to me and well…don’t you get it? I was a Human working in a Monster owned shop. The Revolutionaries hate that! They think that Monsters and Humans should never work together and that Humans should be the dominant species. They don’t care who gets hurt in their cause. They’ll kill anyone who gets in their way.”

“Those people are crazies.” Sans agreed, shaking his head in defeat. “Still, ya should not go blamin’ yourself for what happened. It wasn’t your fault. They were just lookin’ for an excuse to cause trouble and well…no matter how determined ya are, I am just glad that you’re safe. I would have never forgiven myself otherwise. It’s like I said before, I really like ya and I want to get to know ya better. Granted, I didn’t expect our first date to be in a hospital but heh…that’s how it worked out I guess.”

Frisk smirked, looking at him mischievously. “What makes you think this is a date?”

“Um…ya know…there’s flowers and stuff.” Sans said, awkwardly gesturing to the get-well cards and bouquets left behind by their friends. “Plus, we have the whole room to ourselves and we can talk normally without rushing into danger to rescue your boss from a burning building. We can even eat our lousy hospital food here together if ya want.”

Chuckling, the young woman rolled her eyes. “Wow Sans. You really are reaching, aren’t you? Though, I have to admit while this technically meets the criteria of a date, I hope the next one is a lot better. If you want to get to know me better, a hospital is not a very good place to do it at.”

Sans laughed self-consciously. “I guess it’s not one of my best lines but it’s been a rough couple of hours for me. I’ve always had a problem with nightmares, I just assumed it came with the job but lately they have become worse. Ever since I saw Mikey Sauros’ dust, it’s like my past is coming back to haunt me and it makes it hard to think or even focus on what I’m doin’. I don’t know how much I can take it.”

“What do you dream about?” Frisk asked, looking curious, “If you don’t mind me asking…”

For a long time, Sans was silent, he studied the young woman sitting on the bed. Her bandaged hands were folded in her lap but her brown eyes were still as sharp as ever. The Monster looked down shamefully. “You might not realize this, but skeletons are often the most hated kind of Monster.” He began quietly, “Dad would say that it was because we are the scariest of our race, with our bare bones and sharp teeth. After my Mom died, Dad worked long hours trying to support us. He always worked himself to the bone but whenever he came home, he would just smile the warmest smile ya ever saw. He was killed Frisk. A random Human killed him and they never caught the murderer. One day he was there and the next he wasn’t. Monster killings were not uncommon back then. That’s what Captain Dreemurr told me when I had first met him years ago.”

Frisk delicately placed her bandaged hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry Sans. I had no idea.”

Sans sniffed, wiping away the tears that had dripped down his cheekbones. “For the longest time, I was so angry and depressed. I hated everything and everyone. How could somebody do this? Even my captain lost his son to the hatred of a random Human. People think that Monsters like bein’ in power but they have it all wrong. Monsters could care less about control; we just want to make things better than they are.”

“Do you hate Humans for what they have done?” Frisk asked. Her words were like a whisper.

Sans looked at the small woman next to him. She looked sad and angry, so he immediately started backpedaling. “I could not hate all of Humanity for isolated acts of violence!” The skeleton explained, “Just like with Monsters, there are good Humans and bad Humans. It’s not right to blame a whole species for the trouble caused by a few.”

“You are a better person then me.” Frisk admitted, with a smile. “I sometimes hate my species.”

The skeleton paused, looking at the woman with puzzlement. “How could ya hate Humans? You are a Human and I know you are a good person! A bad person wouldn’t run into a burning building to save a Monster. A bad person would run away to save their own skin, not caring if there was an innocent soul was still trapped inside. I think ya care very much about others and that seein’ your own kind causing trouble, like those Revolutionaries; well it makes ya feel guilty and ashamed to be what ya are. Don’t let the hooligans corrupt your opinion of what ya are, they are not the norm.”

Frisk looked at Sans, her eyes meeting his eye sockets. She smiled gently at him and with slight hesitation; she leaned close and place her lips on his bony mouth. Expecting to merely give him a small kiss, it quickly turned into something wild and heated when Sans started to reciprocate. He grinned and opened his mouth, revealing his sharp teeth and long blue tongue as he carefully kissed her back as only a skeleton could. 

He pulled her closer to him, until she was practically in his lap and his phalanges threaded through Frisk’s hair. His teeth gently worried at her lower lip and his tongue pushed against her mouth, tasting and licking until his tongue was gently caressing hers. Frisk started to moan lewdly at the contact and this only excited Sans more. He growled back playfully, pushing her down gently into the hospital bed and for a minute, he hovered over her with a self-satisfied smile. He looked down at her dazed and lustful expression, feeling more turned on by the minute. His eye glowed blue with magic and he felt his body warm up as he gazed at her flushed expression and her bare skin. The woman’s hospital gown was slightly askew, pushed up in the heat of the moment and he wanted to do so much more. He wanted to do more than just kiss her; he wanted to do so much more. He could smell her arousal just as much as he could feel his own arousal starting to manifest but as if bringing himself out of a daze, he stopped and sat back up. Sans closed his eye sockets, forcing himself to calm down.

Frisk, lying on her back, felt immensely disappointed that Sans had left. She sat back up too and looked at him with wonder and curiosity. She felt genuinely speechless. “I’m sorry; I kinda got carried away for a minute. I hope I didn’t hurt ya, since you’re already injured and well…sorry about that.” Sans apologized, his cheekbones now tinged with blue. He shuffled around on the bed, trying to relax the magic that was still coursing throughout his bones.

“No, it’s not your fault. I got carried away too.” Frisk admitted, glancing shyly at the skeleton. “Are you mad that I did that? That I kissed you? I normally don’t come on to guys like that but well…I couldn’t help myself. I should be the one apologizing. I was the one who started this and in the hospital too. I hope you don’t hate me. I should have not been so forward about this.”

Sans furrowed his bony brow, “What do ya mean sweetheart? I was the one who was so forward. Here ya were, a possible suspect and I’ve been interested in ya since the beginning. I mean, I know that you are innocent but I didn’t know that when we met. It’s just there’s somethin’ about ya that…feels…I don’t know…right to me.”

Frisk gave a short laugh, “I’ve been trying to convince myself that you were bad news. I told myself, this skeleton man will be just like all the other guys I have ever liked. Oh, he will be sweet at first but he ultimately has an ulterior motive and he will manipulate me like all the others. I don’t understand you Sans. Your own father was killed by Humans; you’ve seen what Humans have done to Sugar & Snails bakery! You’ve seen what they did to parts of town, the parts that were burned up in the riot. How can my species be anything but evil? I don’t get it.”

“Is it really so hard to imagine that you are a good person? That you deserve to be loved?” Sans asked, his tone was a little more than a whisper. Frisk could not meet his gaze.

Suddenly there was a noise and a cough. Papyrus came into the room, his eyes glancing from Frisk to Sans but the skeleton smiled nonetheless. “SANS! HOW NICE TO SEE YOU! I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO FIND YOU IN MISS FRISK’S ROOM BUT CONSIDERING THAT SHE IS YOUR FRIEND AND THAT SHE HAS BEEN INJURED, I SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED! HOW ARE YOU FEELING BROTHER? THE DOCTOR SAYS YOU CAN GO HOME NOW! WE SHOULD GET GOING SOON, IF WE ARE TO BEAT THE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC? ARE YOU READY TO LEAVE? HAVE YOU SAID ALL YOUR GOODBYES?”

Sans looked reluctant to leave but Papyrus looked like he was in a hurry. Looking at Frisk, he smiled gently. “WE WILL SEE YOU LATER MISS FRISK. I HOPE YOU RECOVER FROM YOUR BURNS VERY SOON. GOODBYE FOR NOW. COME ALONG SANS, LET’S GO!”

Frisk smiled sadly, “Goodbye Papyrus. Goodbye Sans. Thank you for visiting.”

The two skeletons left the room and while his brother gave him the update of what had been happening in the last 24 hours, his own mind was still reeling over what just happened. Sans felt very happy but very confused all at once. As they walked, he placed a hand on his mouth, reliving what just happened and remembering the feel of the woman’s soft lips and how it had been she, not him, who had initiated the kiss. Perhaps the enigmatic Human would tell him what was going on in that head of hers and perhaps they could be something more…for something more was obviously happening. He could feel in his bones. It really was the question of when.

“BROTHER… ARE YOU OKAY?” Papyrus asked, “YOU ARE ACTING KIND OF WEIRD.”

Sans just shrugged, “I’m fine bro. I couldn’t be better…in fact; I’m just san-sational!”

Papyrus looked at his brother and groaned, “OH…YOU AND YOUR ANNOYING PUNS!”


	9. Chapter 9

“Sans stop you’re daydreaming, we have to get this report done! How much have you written?” 

The two detectives were sitting at their assigned desks, both typing away on the computer. They were filling out the latest reports for the wingdings murders as Captain Dreemurr had requested but unlike his partner, Sans was not particularly worried. Asgore had taken a leave of absence and things had relaxed around the police station due to lack of leadership. Only Undyne worked hard as if she had somebody nagging her the entire time. The skeleton yawned sleepily, not answering and not paying attention. The case was closed, why should he be freaking out now?

After numerous Humans from the Revolutionaries had come forward to claim the credit of killing the little Monster kid, Mikey Sauros, there just did not seem to be a point anymore. The Humans had laughed and jeered at his death but surprisingly, none of them came forward to claim credit in the death of the Human lawyer, Amelia Glade. But even with the confessions, it did not matter. Most of the Revolutionaries were in jail anyway, if only for the crimes of aggravated assault, destruction of public property and attempted murder. There were so many of them, they had no proof of who actually did what but at least it was better than nothing. Undyne in her stressed out state, became annoyed when she noticed that Sans was not listening to her.

Glaring angrily at her partner, she tossed a balled-up piece of paper at his skull. It bounced off the smooth surface but Sans did not notice. She tried again, looking for something else to throw.

Sans sighed wistfully, looking at the clock at the bottom of his computer. He lazily leaned against his desk and mentally counted down the seconds until his shift was over. The moment that it was 5 PM, he was going to teleport to his car and drive to MTT’s, the fancy restaurant on the Monster side of town and sweep Frisk off her feet. This was their first real date and ever since their kiss, he had been looking forward to being alone with her again. Suddenly he snapped out of his daze and felt the thud of a pencil bouncing off his skull. Undyne was seething mad.

“What’s your problem?” Sans demanded, “Stop throwing things at me!”

“Well, I finally got your attention…good!” Undyne said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I know how hard it is to think of something other than your beloved Frisk but c’mon man! Your daydreaming is becoming annoying! Sergeant Dogamy is making the statement to the press tonight if we don’t get these reports done, he won’t have anything to tell them. He’s representing not only the captain but the whole precinct! That means that you need to finish your report on the lawyer’s death just like I need to finish mine on the Monster kid’s death! I would have finished mine a lot sooner but you keep distracting me by not working! The captain is counting on us!”

Sans huffed, crossing his arms and looking at his partner. “I don’t know about ya, but I finished my report ten minutes ago. I know it might come as a bit of a shark to ya but I know what I’m doin’ and while I wasn’t listenin’, that doesn’t mean that gives ya permission to throw things at my head! Now stop fishin’ for excuses, it seems that you are the one lagging behind. You worry too much chum! We are goin’ to be fine; Dogamy will do a stellar job like always. Stop takin’ your stress out on me!”

Undyne blushed, looking ashamed. “Okay, maybe you’re right. I just…I feel so frustrated by everything Sans and that includes this stupid case! We arrested about twenty of those Revolutionaries but we still haven’t solved the mystery of who killed the Monster kid or that Human lawyer. We still don’t know what the wingdings mean and on top of that, the captain is distracted by what happened to his wife! When I get frustrated I get mad and when I get mad, I can’t think properly. I don’t know how you can be so calm about everything. How do you do it?”

The skeleton shrugged, “I’ve always been this way. I guess that’s why they made us detective partners. I take my time but often overthink situations but you, Undyne you might be impulsive and hotheaded but you get things done and quickly! I admire that about you. Now just focus on the task at hand, ya got this! I’ll leave ya be. I have to answer my phone. I can feel it buzzing. Just, keep up the good work okay?”

Undnye nodded, giving him a pointy toothed grin. Sans reached into his pocket and felt his soul flutter in his ribcage when he saw the name on the caller ID. It was Frisk. He pushed the button and gave a happy hello. However, instead of her voice there was a weird noise that sounded like a thud and then finally he could hear Frisk’s voice muffled on the phone. “Sans? Are you there?” 

“Yeah, I’m here sweetheart. How’s it goin’? I was getting ready to meet you at MTT’s. Are ya okay? I heard an awful loud thump on your end. Did ya fall down?”

There was a pause, then Frisk answered in a sweet and almost breathless voice. “Oh no, I am fine…perfectly fine. I just…uh…dropped my phone for a split second! I was…I was actually wondering…instead of having our date at MTT’s, how about we have our date at my apartment? It could be fun; we could order pizza and not worry about crowds. What do you think, Sans?”

The skeleton paused, feeling confused, “Well…I don’t mine the change of plans sweetheart…it’s just that it took me ages to get a reservation at MTT’s! The ghost family that owns that joint, they are very particular and it’s a very fancy place! Are you sure that ya don’t want to go there like we planned? I promised ya a proper date but if ya want to do something else…well I guess I shouldn’t argue with that.”

“Sans…it’s not that big of a deal.” Frisk said, reassuringly. “After all, it’s hard to continue where we left off if we are in a crowded restaurant full of snobby people. If you come to my apartment…we can do other things besides eating. Don’t you want to spend time alone with me? Don’t you want me? Remember when we kissed at the hospital? I know how you feel about me.”

The skeleton felt his cheekbones heat up at her thinly veiled innuendo. Was Frisk actually suggesting what he thought she was suggesting? Suddenly the idea of spending alone time with Frisk in her apartment seemed very appealing. He looked at the clock; it was nearly time to leave, so what was the harm of teleporting away five minutes early? His soul fluttered in his chest and he must have had a weird look on his face because Undyne was giving him a funny look. She looked as if she was trying not to burst out laughing.

Coughing, he tried to keep his composure. “Okay sweetheart…you win. Just text me your address and I will be there in a few minutes. Perhaps you could order pizza while you wait? Then it will arrive there about the same time as me. I am feeling hungry.”

Frisk ended the call and in a few seconds, there was a ping noise coming from his phone. Frisk’s address actually wasn’t too far from here. Grinning happily, the Monster was twitching in his seat; he could hardly contain his renewed excitement. Undyne studied him and finally, let out a long, defeated sigh. “Okay, I get it. There’s really no point in you staying here and that look on your face is both annoying and distracting. Go and meet your lady love, Sans. Just be careful and remember what I said about Humans. As much as you would like to believe Frisk is special and different…she’s still a Human and all Humans are unpredictable. I want you to be safe tonight.”

“Thanks pal! You’re the best! Everything will be fine, you’ll see!” Sans said reassuringly. 

His eyes lit up happily and in a flash of blue light, the skeleton teleported to his car. It didn’t take him long to get on the road, following the directions on his phone. He could hardly wait and despite knowing better, Sans ended up driving quicker than usual. As he went through Ebott City, he noticed that Frisk’s apartment was not where he expected. It was in a poor, run down Human neighborhood and the people he passed by, they all looked at him suspiciously. Sans noticed the crumbling buildings, the graffiti on the walls and over and over again, he saw the familiar picture of a red smiley face. That smile, it was the one that haunted all his nightmares.

He managed to find Frisk’s apartment but as he went up the stairs, he noticed that there were noises coming from the other side of her door. There were two people arguing, one was Frisk and the other one sounded like a man and that man was very angry. There was also the sound of objects being thrown and hitting the wall. Summoning his magic, Sans prepared to force his way inside but suddenly he heard Frisk speak frantically to the man. “Stop it Chara! Sans is coming!”

“I know he’s coming, I made you call him…didn’t I?” Chara sneered, “I am tired of you being such a coward Francisca! You should have killed that Monster ages ago but instead you kissed him! Don’t you have any pride? I saw you in the hospital; it was the most pathetic thing I had ever seen. It’s bad enough that you had to save that goat Monster from the fire but now you’re spending time with the cops too? Whose side are you even on? You owe me, don’t you forget!”

“I have not forgotten.” Frisk whimpered, “Toriel is my friend and Sans…he’s something more.”

“Something more…well…I will keep that in mind the next time you need my help. How many times do I have to tell you? Monsters can’t be trusted! Don’t you remember why we started all this?” Chara asked, pausing a minute for emphasis. “Your parents, the ones who were supposed to love and adore you…they treated you like dirt. They abused you, hurt you both inside and out and you were all alone. When you went to the police, the police who were made up of mainly Monsters like your skeleton boyfriend, they did nothing! All you had was me and I helped you. I made you strong. We are Revolutionaries, so it’s about damn time that you acted like one. Stop pretending that you are this innocent little maiden. I know you; I know the evil that you are capable of…you are just like me. You can deny the darkness all you want but I know the truth.”

Sans’ expression hardened, he was furious but he did not move. He had to hear this confession.

“I hate the name Francisca.” Frisk said bitterly, “Frisk is a better name and I prefer it but you never cared, did you? You tell me that Monsters are evil and that Humans are evil but Chara, you were the one who started this trouble in the first place. You were the one who wanted to start a war between the species and you were the one who said it was for the greater good. But if it really is a good act, why do you risk all of these innocent lives? Toriel is a good person and your actions with the riot almost killed her! I was badly burned in my efforts to save her life that day.”

Chara laughed hysterically, a sound that chilled Sans’ to the bone. 

“Don’t start blaming me for those burned hands and legs of yours, Francisca! That was your own doing. You should have just let that nanny goat burn and saved yourself. You say that Toriel is a good Monster…a kind Monster but you are wrong. Monsters and Humans, they are all the same. If we want to make the world a better place we must destroy the evil that’s inside all of them. I told you the plan when we first started. We will kill two Humans and two Monsters. Sans in the next Monster on the list…all you have to do is shoot him with this wingdings bullet I made. After that, he will turn into a pile of dust and it will be all over. It should be an easy kill for you.”

“I won’t kill Sans!” Frisk said, this time louder and more confident. “I won’t let you do this!”

Suddenly the front door opened and Sans, who had been eavesdropping the entire time, fell into the room with a surprised grunt. Frisk gasped, her expression horrified but Sans only looked at Chara who was studying him with curiosity. Just like the Revolutionaries they had captured, Chara was wearing the uniform but he was missing the red smiley mask. He did not need it though. With his cropped brown hair, ruby eyes and insane smile; he was scary enough as it was. Frisk went over to him, trying to help him up but Sans growled. He pushed her roughly away.

“C’mon Francisca, it’s time to follow through on your end of the bargain.” Chara said, sneering.

The man pushed a gun into her hands and Frisk held up the loaded gun fearfully. She kept on looking from Sans to Chara and back again. Tears were in her eyes and her hands were shaking.

“I am getting impatient Francisca!” The man spat, when a few seconds passed. “If you don’t kill him now…if you don’t give him a merciful death…then I will be the one to do it. Luckily, I always have a backup plan and this knife should put this Monster down once and for all. It might not be as painless as the bullet but hey, you chose this. You brought this on, didn’t you Frisk?”

Chara took out a long dagger; the light glinted off the metal. He pushed Frisk aside and with a grunt, the young woman fell to the floor. From the impact, she accidentally pulled the trigger and with a bang, the gun went off. The loud booming noise made the room shake from the impact and then suddenly, there was nothing. The silence was deafening as dust particles started floating in the air. Sans was gone.


	10. Chapter 10

For what seemed to be a long time, the silence deafened the room. The dust particles floated in the air and Frisk dropped the gun, letting out a horrified scream. Tears fells down her cheeks as she shook her head, unable to process what she had just seen…what she had just did. Sans was gone and it was her fault. Chara was right; there really was darkness in her. She was just as evil, just as bloodthirsty as every other Human. Why was she trying to be something she wasn’t? All Humans were horrible. She was just like the very people she hated. She was just like her parents.

Frisk sat on the floor, sobbing as she wrapped her arms around herself. Chara looked at her with disgust. He bent down and pulled her up, forcing her to her feet. “Stop crying! He’s not dead, you idiot!” Chara scolded, “You missed! The bullet just hit the wall and besides, if the Monster was really dead, there would be far more dust left behind. This is ordinary dust from the impact!”

“It takes more than a bullet to kill me!” Sans mocked, his eye flashing blue. “Did ya really think this was a good idea? I mean, seriously? I’m an officer of the law! I was trained on how to deal with thugs. I’m not like that poor Monster kid ya killed.”

Chara whirled around, his red eyes flashing angrily. “You think you’re so clever? Well, you’re wrong; anybody can be killed with a bullet. The brat was hardly a challenge and that lawyer, Amelia Glade? I killed her slowly and painfully, watching her bleed before I shot her in the heart. It was so boring! All they did was cry and beg me to let them go but you, skeleton, you are a fighter. You are worthy of my time. I’m going to have fun killing you and when I am done, not even your brother will be able to mourn over your ashes. Monsters will hate the Humans and Humans will blame the Monsters. Their hate will destroy Ebott City and my loyal followers; they will kill anyone who stands in our way. It will be glorious and I will arise, the leader of the city.”

“That is not going to happen.” Sans smirked. “Ya forget that I plan on stoppin’ ya.”

Chuckling under his breath, Chara shook his head. “We will see about that Monster. Now die!”

Watching as Sans and Chara faced off in battle, Frisk was stunned by what had happened. She could not get used to this, no matter how tough she pretended to be. She hated fighting. Wiping the tears from her eyes, the young woman felt anxiety creeping up on her. This would not end well. Chara was a seasoned fighter, one of the best and she had seen him kill far stronger opponents then Sans. It was just a matter of time. There had to be something she could do, she had to stop him from killing the Monster she loved. Glancing around the room, Frisk looked for something to use as a weapon, until she saw the gun lying forgotten on the floor. It was still where she had dropped it and in the heat of the battle, nobody bothered to pick it up. Frisk’s heartbeat quickened as she reached for the gun, wondering for the second time that night if she could actually do it, if she could actually hurt someone. She was running out of time. If she did not act right now, Sans was as good as dust and the whole of Ebott City would fall not long after.

Letting out a furious yell, Chara charged towards Sans, running at full speed with the intent of plunging his knife into the skeleton’s vulnerable soul but the Monster saw it coming. He simply teleported away and left a frustrated Chara stabbing at the air. Reappearing as quickly as he left, Sans started rapidly shooting femur bones at the raging psychopath. Chara might have been agile but even he managed to take a few hits to the chest. He fell to the floor, the breath knocked out of him. As he started breathing heavily, Sans stood over the angry man and watched him with narrowed eye sockets. 

“Do ya give up? Will ya come quietly? There’s no shame in backin’ out.” Despite his kind and gentle words, Sans was not taking any chances. He held a large bone over the Human’s head and was holding back his full power, if only for Asgore’s sake. The captain always insisted they offer mercy. So even with all the rage, confusion and betrayal, he hesitated.

Chara looked like he was considering the offer. He even smiled at Sans but then he rolled to the side and forced his body to stand up. He staggered a bit, trying to get his bearings. He was getting tired. His face was flushed and he was breathing heavily but Chara did not stop. The man only paused to wipe the blood from his bleeding lip, sneering at Sans’ exasperated face. “I will never give up! You are nothing but dust under my shoe, skeleton. I would rather die a thousand deaths than be defeated by some dirty Monster.”

“Well, have it your way then.” Sans sighed, shooting more bones towards the angry Human.

The large bones shot out in rapid succession, each time hitting their mark but Chara was not staying down. He was too determined, for every hit he got; he only came back and tried to stab him in the rib cage where his soul was located. Sans’ instinctively wanted to use his blasters. They were his most powerful weapons and they could destroy almost anything, but Sans held back. It was such a small apartment; the magic fueled weapons would only cause more trouble than they were worth. Feeling frustrated, Sans had just one more trick up his sleeve, but he knew he had to be fast. If he paused in shooting the bones at Chara, the angry Human could use that opportunity to attack him while he was summoning his next move. Blue magic took a lot of concentration and it was kind of hard to concentrate if he had to constantly teleport everywhere.

Taking a deep breath, Sans teleported farther away, and his eye started glowing blue. Reaching out for Chara’s soul, he tried to contain it with his magic and make it heavy. For a minute, nothing happened but soon the determined man started slowing down. Chara moved like he was a hundred pounds heavier but he still moved all the same. Sans pushed more magic in the Human’s direction, trying to force Chara to stop attacking but the determination in the man’s eyes was not dimming. Instead, he held out the knife and forced his body forward towards Sans.

“Aren’t ya tired of fighting?” Sans asked, almost begging. “I am not going to give up.”

Chara staggered forward, his insane smile still on his face. “I don’t care how much magic you throw at me Monster; I am still going to kill you. This little parlor trick of yours will only delay me in my quest. Whether you die today or tomorrow, it doesn’t matter. I plan on hunting you down and killing you slowly and painfully. After I plunge my blade into your rib cage, I will then kill everyone you ever cared about. You will be forgotten, Monster. You will be dead and nobody will remember your name. Nobody will remember that stupid detective who managed to get in over his head. You are worthless and you are--”

He was cut off by a loud bang. It was a close-range gunshot and as the bullet whizzed through the air, it met its intended target with a muffled squelch and soon, the newly formed wound on Chara’s right leg started bleeding. The man howled with pain, collapsing on the floor. With the commotion, Sans released his hold on the Human’s soul and saw, to his surprise, Frisk still pointing the gun at Chara. The young woman’s eyes watched him with a cold rage. She cocked the gun and looked as if she wanted to shoot again…but she didn’t. Frisk was holding back too.

For a minute there was silence, Chara looked at her with a stunned expression and then to her surprise, he laughed hysterically. It was as if Frisk shooting him was the funniest joke he had ever heard. 

Sans was speechless but Chara made a face, mocking Frisk’s serious expression. “So…I guess the meek little mouse is finally standing up for herself.” He taunted. “I am surprised Francisca, I thought I was your friend. Would you really try to shoot your best friend?”

Frisk scowled, “We are not friends Chara! I am not so meek that I won’t stop you from killing Sans. It’s time that you stopped this crazy crusade. Violence and hatred won’t make you happy.”

“I beg to differ, Francisca but tell me, are you really willing to protect this…Monster over me? You would betray your own kind?” Chara asked, his eyes widening in surprise. “I was your closet companion and ally. I thought you loved me but now…now you would betray me? You did not even earn the honor of killing me! Have I taught you nothing, you pathetic whelp? You are just as weak, just as wimpy as when I first found you long ago. I thought you had potential to be my soldier but I guess I was wrong. It’s a shame that I have to kill you too. It’s such a waste.”

“You taught me a lot, I won’t deny that.” Frisk admitted, the gun still pointing at Chara. “But I also know that you were manipulating me since day one, trying to get me to do your bidding with the promise of love and affection. You say that Humans and Monsters are equally evil and that they need to be destroyed…or the very least, controlled. You told me this every day for years and I have not forgotten. It was the only shred of truth you ever told me. You, Chara are the greatest darkness I have ever seen. You kill without mercy, you take pleasure in death, you play games and you tricked me. I won’t be fooled again. You don’t deserve my love or loyalty.”

“Oh, did I hurt your delicate feelings?” Chara asked, in a mocking tone. “Poor, little Francisca!”

The young woman’s eyes hardened. “My name is Frisk! I don’t like being called by my old name but that is beside the point. I want you to remember something. I could have killed you…but I didn’t. I will never be like you Chara. I might be capable of dark acts but that does not mean I will become a murderer. I might not be a good person or even a great person but I am not evil. Instead, I will take pride knowing that I managed to lock you up with the rest of your gang and hopefully, today will be your last day of freedom. You’ll no longer hurt people again, I swear it.”

Sans took advantage of this new distraction, reaching into his pocket and pulling out handcuffs.

Reciting the Miranda Rights while he worked, the skeleton used his magic to force Chara to put his hands behind his back, cuffing him and forcing him to his feet. The crazy man staggered but despite his limp and heavily bleeding leg, he was able to walk. If Chara was angry at being captured, he did not show it. Instead, the psychopath giggled and teased Sans as he was pulled forward and frog marched towards the door. The entrance had been damaged in the fight and it took some effort to force the door open. All the while, Sans could not meet Frisk’s worried gaze.

He knew she was looking at him but the skeleton couldn’t bare it, even when she followed him for a little way. “Are you going to be okay, Sans?” She asked, her voice wavered with uncertainty but the young woman refused to leave his side.

“I don’t know.” Sans admitted quietly, “I don’t know how I feel or what I think. Tibia honest, I’m so tired, I can hardly think properly. I was nearly killed today Frisk. After I throw this punk in the slammer, I plan on sleeping for a few days. Ya should get some rest too. We will…talk later and maybe once I learn your story, perhaps then I will know if I am okay. It’s time ya told me the truth, but not now. Don’t leave town Frisk. I don’t want to chase ya down if ya try to run. It’s not worth it.”

“Are you going to arrest me?” Frisk asked, looking sad. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did. This mess was my fault and while I know my words don’t mean anything, I want you to know how sorry I am. I really care about you Sans and I wish…I wish I could undo all the bad stuff that happened today. I honestly hope that you can forgive me but if not, again, I fully understand.”

Sans was silent for a moment, he gave Frisk a long look. “I am only aresstin’ this guy here. He was the one who tried to kill me and while you were the one with the gun, I knew ya weren’t going to shoot me. Ya could have killed Chara but ya didn’t. Ya could have taken another shot at me…but ya didn’t. Still, that doesn’t make up for the fact that ya betrayed me or that ya were hiding information about the real killer. I might not be arrestin’ ya Frisk, but I am done with trying to be with ya.”

Frisk bowed her head with shame. “I understand and to be honest, I wouldn’t want to be with me either. I don’t deserve love. Goodbye Sans. Be safe and have a good life. I wish you happiness.”

In a flash of blue light, Sans took Chara out of the room and teleported away. The skeleton was so upset and tired; it took him a few tries until finally he was in his car. Heading back to the precinct was the last thing he wanted to do. He did not want Undyne asking intrusive questions, he did not want funny looks from his colleagues but most of all; he did not want to stare at the man who tried to kill him. This night was the worst he could remember. It was almost as bad as the night his dad died but even that seemed less painful. Suddenly the idea of being swallowed up in a dark gooey substance didn’t seem so bad anymore; his nightmare now seemed almost peaceful. How nice would it be to simply disappear and to stop thinking? It would stop the pain.

Surprisingly, Chara was silent on their ride to the station. Sans had put a bandage on the man’s leg but it was still bleeding all over his car but the skeleton did not bother trying to care. Instead, he drove with his eye sockets firmly on the road. Chara watched him, smiling to himself as if he was holding this big secret but Sans was too tired to care. Dogamy was probably beginning his press conference about now. It was time to show the whole world who the wingdings killer was.


	11. Chapter 11

Sans was not having a good day. It was freezing cold; the sky was overcast and there was a misty rain that clung unpleasantly to his bones. 

Even though technically he could not feel the temperature, it still made him feel grumpy. The last thing he wanted to do on a Saturday morning was to stand in front of Captain Dreemurr’s house and to add insult to injury, he had been dragged out of his comfortable bed to come here. He shoved his hands in his coat pockets and sulked, as his brother stood beside him looking particularly pleased with himself. Sans looked at Papyrus, not bothering to hold back his glare. “What are we doing here? It’s too early!”

Papyrus gave an exasperated huff. “BROTHER, TO YOU, ANYTHING EARLIER THEN MIDDAY IS TOO EARLY. 11:30 AM IS A RESPECTABLE TIME AND WE ARE HERE TO VISIT THE DREEMURRS. JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BROKEN HEART, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD FORGET YOUR MANNERS. TORIEL JUST CAME BACK FROM THE HOSPITAL; WE ARE HERE TO SEE HOW SHE IS RECOVERING. I EXPECT YOU TO BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR SANS. DON’T BE RUDE TO THEM.”

“I’m not going to be rude to the Dreemurs,” Sans grumbled, “I like them too and besides, Asgore is my boss…I’m not going to be rude to captain fluffy buns and his wife! I just don’t think it was a good idea to come here. The hospital let her go home so Toriel is obviously feeling better. We did not have to drive thirty minutes just to see if she’s okay or not. Also, can ya stop saying that I have a broken heart? Skeletons don’t even have hearts to break. I am perfectly fine, just tired.”

“IT IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH.” Papyrus sighed, “BUT REGARDLESS OF A PHYSICAL HEART OR NOT, I KNOW YOU ARE HURTING INSIDE. THAT’S WHY WE ARE HERE.”

Sans frowned, “Bro, I don’t get it. What does this have to do with the Dreemurrs?”

“WE ARE HERE TO GAIN PERSPECTIVE.” Papyrus explained proudly, “YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO TALK TO THAT UNDERSTANDS YOUR PAIN, SOMEBODY WHO HAS EXPERIENCED TRAGEDY AND STILL MANAGED TO STAY STRONG DESPITE EVERYTHING. TORIEL ALSO KNOWS FRISK AND I THINK THAT IF YOU TALK WITH THEM, WITH TORIEL IN PARTICULAR, YOU COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO NEXT REGARDING THE HUMAN THAT YOU HAVE FEELINGS FOR.”

“I don’t really want to bring them into this…” Sans muttered, looking away.

Going up the walkway, Papyrus rang the doorbell and Sans shuffled behind him. There was a brief silence, then some muffled footsteps from the other side and finally, Asgore opened the door and peered at the two skeletons standing in the rain. “Howdy fellas! What brings you all the way here? Do you want to come inside? I just put on a pot of tea and it looks frightful out there!”

Papyrus nodded, “TEA SOUNDS WONDERFUL, MR. DREEMURR. WE HAVE COME TO SEE HOW TORIEL IS DOING. IS SHE UP FOR VISITORS?”

Asgore smiled, leading the two skeletons inside. “Oh, Tori would be happy to see you both! See, my wife has been baking all morning and I am sure that she would appreciate someone else to sample her different types of pie. Tori has been trying out…interesting new flavors and I am sure she would like to get some new opinions. Already, I have tried multiples slices of her chocolate snail pie, her cherry pecan pie and her butterscotch slug slime pie. She was pulling a fourth pie out of the oven when I heard the doorbell, so be prepared to sample her newest pastry creation!”

Letting out a burp, Asgore winced sheepishly and put his hands to his stomach. “While they were all delicious, I am actually really glad that you are here. I could use some help as a taste tester!”

Sans smirked at the captain, his boss really was good natured to a fault. Despite looking a little nauseous, Asgore’s fondness for Toriel was evident, especially if he had eaten three different pies in a single morning! As the small group walked into the purple themed living room, Sans noted how comfortable everything looked but at the same time, there was sense of emptiness. 

On the lavender painted walls, there were many pictures of their son Asriel. Baby pictures of the little goat hung up neatly over the plushy sofa and school pictures were arranged over the TV. There were pictures of Asriel helping Toriel in the kitchen and there were a few selfies taken by the kid doing funny poses and making faces into the camera. It was endearing but sad, especially since Asriel never seemed to age past ten years old. The Dreemurrs’ child had been killed over two decades ago but with the multitude of pictures, it looked as if their house was frozen in time.

Papyrus made himself comfortable on the plushy sofa and patted the spot next to him, inviting him to sit on the couch too. Sans went over reluctantly, unsure if it was appropriate or not. When Asgore came out of the kitchen, he held a tray with three mugs, three tea bags and a piping hot kettle. Papyrus offered to help, setting up the table. As Asgore poured them their drinks, Sans noted that this was kind of nice. It had been a long time since had had golden flower tea and the sweet floral scent made him feel nostalgic. He closed his eye sockets and breathed deeply, thinking of happier days when he was young. Sans leaned back into the sofa and felt a lot calmer.

Sitting in the large chair across from them, Asgore sipped his tea and smiled fondly. “I remember when Verdana introduced me to this tea. It was many years ago, when you two were still in elementary school. I had come to her feeling desperate from my chronic insomnia. That was a very hard time, I kept on having nightmares and while drinking coffee helped me a little, I could not concentrate or even think clearly. It was my good fortune that your mother was our local apothecary. Verdana swore that golden flower tea was the best nighttime drink and she was right. Your mother was a wise woman and a good friend. She helped us through some difficult times.”

“I MISS MOM AND DAD, I WISH THEY DIDN’T DIE.” Papyrus said, looking sadly into his own cup. “I WAS SO LITTLE WHEN MOM PASSED AWAY AND THEN A FEW YEARS LATER DAD WAS KILLED. IT’S BAD ENOUGH THAT THEY ARE GONE BUT THE WORST THING IS THAT I FORGET THE LITTLE THINGS. I FORGET THE SOUND OF THEIR VOICES AND THEIR LITTLE HABITS. I AM HAPPY THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE WINGDINGS THAT DAD TAUGHT ME TO HELP WITH THE BIG MURDER CASE.”

Asgore nodded his head sagely. “You were a big help Papyrus. Understanding wingdings is a useful skill; I should probably have the rest of the precinct learn it too for good measure. What I am most impressed with, was how Sans managed to capture the wingdings killer and bring him to justice. Chara is awaiting trial as we speak but I am sure that the judge and jury will declare him guilty. There is plenty of evidence and with that confession that Sans overheard, well I am confident that Chara will be locked away for the rest of his life. You know, I am still quite curious how you found him Sans. How did you know he was the wingdings killer? Up until that point, my officers, you included had reached a dead end for any clues. Did you find something?”

Sans sighed, looking uncertain. He glanced at his brother and Papyrus gave him an encouraging look. Finally, the small skeleton looked at Asgore. “Captain, do ya remember when we found Frisk Gonzales near the crime scene? She was the Human that Undyne had captured. Well…when I went to test the blood on her hand, Alphys declared that the blood wasn’t the same on the Monster kid’s shirt. She seemed innocent and I didn’t sense any murderous intentions. I liked her and…well…I tried to court her. I went to visit her at Tori’s bakery and well, I might have fallen skull over shinbones for her. Then there was that riot and the fire, Frisk risked her life to rescue your wife and she almost died herself. She went to the hospital and then she kissed me. Then three days later, she invited me to her house and it turned out she had been working with the wingdings killer the entire time. She tricked me Asgore. Chara was intending that I be the third victim, so Frisk lured me into a trap to kill me.”

Asgore was silent for a moment, “If Frisk lured you into her apartment with the intention to kill you. Why didn’t you arrest her? You arrested Chara and I noticed he had a small bullet wound.”

“I…I could not bring myself to arrest her, captain.” Sans admitted, “Frisk…she saved my life! I was sure that Chara was going to do me in but Frisk used the gun and instead of shooting me, she shot Chara in the leg. It distracted him long enough that I could put handcuffs on him and teleport him away. I am so confused Asgore. What if Frisk was playin’ me the entire time? When we were flirtin’ in the bakery, was she planning my death? Was she thinkin’ about the best way to do it? I am such a numbskull! How could I fall for her? Undyne was right, Humans can’t be trusted!”

Tears dripped down his cheekbones and he angrily wiped them away.

“Oh dear, this seems like a bad time. Should I leave?” Toriel Dreemurr came in from the kitchen, holding what looked to be a blueberry and vanilla pie. The scent was absolute heaven and the hot steam wafted to the ceiling as the pie was still fresh from the oven. Sans looked at the older goat woman and noted how much better she looked. Aside from a few bandages wrapped around her arms, Toriel looked almost good as new. She looked at the two skeleton brothers with concern.

Papyrus smiled, “I THINK SOME PIE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, MRS. DREEMURR. COME, SIT BESIDE US. SANS IS UPSET AND HE COULD USE YOUR WISDOM AND KINDNESS, DESPITE HIM PUTTING ON A BRAVE FACE FOR US ALL.”

Sans wiped his eyes and looked away, shame in his features. “I did not mean to be so emotional. I know it is stupid to cry over Frisk. I just feel so betrayed. Not just by her but by my own sense of right and wrong. Is it wrong that I let her go? She almost murdered me but she also saved me. Is she a good person or a bad person? If she is a bad person, what does that make me? I let her go, despite everything.”

Toriel smiled sympathetically. “When I hired Frisk to work at Sugar & Snails, I did not think much of her but I noticed that she was very eager to please. The poor child was starved for affection and as I got to know her, I realized that she was very alone in the world. See, despite being in her twenties, she had been a runaway. As a teenager, she had been verbally abused by her father and he would hit her whenever he was in one of his drunken rages. Her mother did absolutely nothing, avoiding being hit herself by staying out of the way and eventually leaving. Frisk was only 14 and that was when she met Chara. He was a few years older than her and he became sort of a big brother figure. Frisk would tell me how he would steal food for her and give her a roof over her head. She became dependent on him but even Frisk knew something was wrong. A few days before my bakery was burned down, she was actually thinking about leaving. Frisk wanted to leave him and his hatred. To be honest, I think it was because she met you Sans.”

Papyrus served up the offered blueberry pie and started passing around the slices. As Sans ate the dessert and sipped his golden flower tea, he thought about Frisk and her troubled life. She could have killed him but she did not aim the gun correctly. He had assumed it had been nerves, her hands had been shaking but then again, he could be wrong. Perhaps she did not want to hurt him, despite being constantly manipulated by Chara. If she had messed up her aim on purpose, that meant that Frisk risked everything. Chara could have turned on her and have killed her instead.

He treated her like a criminal but did she really deserve that? Did he achieve justice in the end?

“Sans, forgive me for doubting your opinion.” Asgore began, looking thoughtful. “But it seems to me that Frisk was a victim too. Instead of judging her on what she could have done, judge her on what she actually did. She could have killed you, but she did not. Instead, Frisk saved you. She helped you arrest the very man who orchestrated the murders and the same man who sparked the fire in the Revolutionaries’ riot. Perhaps instead of arresting her, we could use her as a witness to Chara’s crimes. Frisk must know what he had planned and when they would happen.”

Tori nodded, “I think that’s a brilliant idea! Please, don’t give up on Frisk. I still vouch for her!”

“SO, SANS WHAT DO YOU THINK?” Papyrus asked, sitting next to him on the comfy sofa, eating the pie and looking curious. “I KNOW YOU ARE STILL HURT BY FRISK’S BETRAYAL BUT IF YOU ASK ME, I THINK YOU SHOULD GIVE HER A SECOND CHANCE! EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES SOMETIMES, EVEN THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND SHE DID RESCUE MRS. DREEMURR FROM HER CERTAIN DEATH BY RUNNING INTO THE FIRE. FRISK WAS VERY BRAVE AND HER RECENT ACTIONS WERE NOT OF ONE WHO HAD MURDER IN THEIR SOUL! SHE CAN TESTIFY AGAINST CHARA!”

Sans put down his tea and placed his fork on the side table. The skeleton stretched his bones and glanced out the window. It was still cloudy but the misty rain had stopped. It even looked like the sun was starting to come out. Finally, Sans looked at his brother and his two friends. He smiled a cheerful smile, “Okay, you all have a valid point. Maybe things are not as black and white as I had first imagined. Frisk did seem sorry and she did apologize for her actions. Perhaps, you are right bro. Though, it’s not goin’ to be easy talkin’ to her.”

Toriel clapped her hands and beamed, “This is wonderful news! Please let us know how things work out…oh, and Sans, if you could do me a favor? If you see Frisk, could you tell her that I plan on reopening the bakery? Obviously not in the old building but with the insurance money I received, I believe I have enough to start over again. Tell her…tell her that she can have her old job back. That’s why I baked all these pies. I want to be ready in time for the grand reopening!”

“Alright, sounds like a plan,” Sans shrugged, “But if I could make a suggestion? If I were you, I would change the name. Sugar & Snails was okay and cutesy but it was too simple. The name should be something clever and catchy. Ya want a name that people will remember and think of when they are out buying their breakfast!”

Toriel frowned, “That’s an intriguing idea Sans. Do you have anything in mind?”

“Eh, let me get back to ya but trust me…with enough time I can think of somethin’ cool.” Sans said, glancing back out the window. “Are ya ready to leave Papyrus? I think we took up enough of the Dreemurrs’ time. Let us not overstay our welcome here.”

Asgore smiled and got up, brushing the crumbs off his shirt. He went over to Sans and shook the skeleton’s outstretched hand. “You are welcome here anytime Sans. I know I am your boss at the police station but I want you to know, you are also my friend. Tori and I always appreciate seeing you and your brother. I know it might be silly, but you sometimes remind me of Asriel.”

“HOW CAN THAT BE? ASRIEL WAS A CHILD!” Papyrus asked, looking indignant, “SURELY WE DO NOT ACT LIKE LITTLE KIDS! I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE JUST TURNED 24 YEARS OLD AND I HAPPEN TO BE THE RESPONSIBLE ONE.”

Toriel chuckled, “It’s not that you act like children, it’s because your souls remind us of him. You are brave, kind and you see the best in everyone, even if they hurt you. Asriel would have been a little older then you if he had survived. Forgive us, but you are like our surrogate children. Please don’t take offense in that. You make us happy with your visits. Do come again, dears.”

Papyrus blushed with embarrassment and Sans laughed too, joining the others in their merriment.

The happiness was infectious. After his terrible morning and those long terrible work days, maybe things were looking up. Walking back to the car with his brother by his side, Sans thought about Frisk. Perhaps he should not give up right away but there was now a new problem. What if Frisk hated him? What if it was too late and things had changed between them? It could happen.

What if…what if…what if…Sans honestly felt as if he could go insane thinking about what if.


	12. Chapter 12

It had been a few days since the visit to the Dreemurr house but after thinking long and hard about it, Sans decided that now was the time to confront Frisk. He had been putting it off partly because of fear, partly because of anger and partly because of his own deep-seated shame. How could he face her now? Despite everything he had done, Frisk was still loyal to her former friend.

Frisk had refused to testify against Chara. If she had cooperated, things would have been simpler. 

All she had to do was tell the judge and jury what she knew. Frisk had seen the terrible things that Chara had done and she knew what he had been planning before he had been caught. She could describe his evil plans to kill those innocent people and his plot to start a war between Humans and Monsters. She could have helped lock him up forever but instead, Frisk had refused to speak out against him. Maybe she was scared, maybe she was indifferent but that did not mean she was all bad, right? Frisk had done good things too. She had saved his life! She had saved Toriel from burning to death in a bakery fire! Frisk had even helped him arrest Chara! It was all so frustrating and confusing, but Sans knew he could not put it off forever. He was acting stupid!

He could not stay in his car all day. He probably looked like some creepy stalker, waiting for his target to leave her home. Humans already distrusted Monsters and being a skeleton, he stood out like a sore thumb in this neighborhood. He must have been completely insane to come here at all.

Only crazy people would return to the apartment where their sort-of-girlfriend tried to kill them!

Staring up at Frisk’s home, it looked just as beat up as he remembered. Broken windows were common, graffiti was plastered on the walls and to make matters worse, there was a horrible smell that seemed to linger in the air. It was like a mixture of trash and sewer that made his nose hurt. How could Frisk live like this? How could she live here? It had been awhile since he had seen her but the same déjà vu feeling came over him as butterflies fluttered in his rib cage. This time however, he was nervous for an entirely different reason. Closing his eyes, Sans teleported himself up to Frisk’s place, number 407. It looked identical to the others but without a front door.

After the big fight with Chara, the door must have been too damaged to keep hung up. Feeling uncertain by this new realization, Sans hovered near the entrance and wondered what to do. He should knock…that would be polite thing to do but there was nothing there to knock upon. There was not a doorbell either and going inside without being invited would be rude but then again…Frisk knew him…so that was okay, right? As Sans debated on the appropriateness of going inside, Frisk came around the corner from the bedroom to the living room carrying a large cardboard box. She added it to the stacks of boxes lined against the wall, before glancing at Sans.

She met his gaze and they stared at each other for a moment before finally, the woman looked down, smiling and shaking her head. “I was wondering when you would show up. I am surprised it took you this long. I was expecting you to come by yesterday.”

Sans was silent for a moment, then he asked, “How did ya know I was coming?”

Frisk laughed, “It was obvious. Let me guess, Captain Dreemurr sent you over to talk to me? Your boss thought that if you gave me a charming smile and that if you talked calmly to me, I would change my mind and testify against Chara, thus solidifying his future in being locked up in jail for the rest of his life. Sorry Sans, but that’s not going to happen. It’s like I told the captain, I want nothing more to do with Chara or anything that has to do with the wingdings killings. I was merely a witness; I did not kill the kid or that lawyer. If anything, I was the one who had reported Mikey Sauros’ death in the first place. I used the payphone but it did not matter. You were too slow and Chara was not caught in time. I should not be blamed for that.”

“The captain told me that ya didn’t want to testify.” Sans said, shrugging, “But at the end of the day, it’s your choice. We can’t make ya do anything ya don’t want to do.”

Frisk narrowed her eyes. “Then…why are you here…if you aren’t here to pester me?”

Sans looked around the room, noting the large number of boxes. “Ya know, ya might not be a suspect but you are still a person of interest. I told ya it was not a good idea to leave town but from the looks of things…you either really love cardboard or you are plannin’ on moving away. Care to explain? If ya tell me, I will tell ya why I am here.”

“You told me not to leave town.” Frisk said stubbornly, “I am not leaving town. I am simply moving out of my crappy apartment because I can no longer afford it. Chara helped me flip the bill but now that he is heading to jail, that’s not going to be an option anymore. Plus, my front door was busted, so let’s just say that my landlord was not too happy about that. He is going to evict me unless I pay him upfront to replace everything and to cover this month’s rent. So, hence the boxes. I figured it was time to pack up and leave. There’s really no point in me staying here.”

“Where will ya go? Do ya have any place to stay?” Sans asked, his voice now a whisper.

“Not that it’s any of your business but I am planning on staying in a shelter.” Frisk scowled, “I will put my junk in storage and after that…well…I guess I will have to find a new job next.”

“Ya don’t have to do that…find a new job…I mean.” Sans rushed, talking quickly when he noticed that she was looking irritated. “I talked with Tori and she told me that when I saw ya again, I should tell ya that you can have your old job back at the bakery. Tori has a plan to start over and she’s been makin’ all these pies at home while she had been recoverin’. She’s lookin’ a lot better now. It’s amazing what magic infused food can do to a Monster, she’s practically at full HP! So, that is some good news!”

Frisk smiled, “That is the best news I heard all week! I am glad that Toriel is doing better, for a minute I was afraid that…well...I am just glad she’s alright. I am not even surprised about the pie thing. Did you know, before all this drama happened, she was trying to think of new flavors? I could not very well give my opinion because half of her ideas were Monster themed pies and snail pie never seemed very appetizing. Sometimes I have to remind her to make Human themed pies as well, so the customers could have a choice. That new model actually increased business.”

“That’s a pretty smart move!” Sans mused, looking impressed, “Do ya like workin’ at the bakery? When I tried that soul cookie, it was delicious. I think ya have a talent!”

“It’s just something that I like to do.” The young woman shrugged. “Baking lets me think about something else that is not…my train wreck of a life. I really am sorry about what happened last week. If I did not have a knife at my throat, I would not have called you and tricked you into coming here. Chara…the truth is I don’t know how I feel about him. I know he is a bad person but when I think of him, I just think of that teenage boy that helped me through my horrible childhood. I think of that boy who gave me food when I was starving. I think of that boy who held me while I cried when my mom left and never came back. I just didn’t want to betray him.”

Sans shrugged, “Okay, fair enough…but keep in mind, I’m a little bias towards the guy. He did try to stab me and he did threaten to kill everyone that I cared about. So, I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Anyway, on a different note…I was wonderin’…is your name really Francisca? He kept callin’ ya that instead of Frisk. Ya don’t have to tell me if ya don’t want to. I just was confused and wanted to know.”

Frisk laughed, “It’s actually a funny story. After I ran away, I wanted a new name. I did not want any ties to my old life so I shortened Francisca to Frisk. It was easier to say and it was similar enough that I responded to it easier. Chara’s name is not really Chara either. His real name is Charles Anderson and when I was a kid, I called him Char and then eventually Chara. We were together against the world and for a while, it felt like we were untouchable with our code names.”

Sans nodded, looking thoughtful. “It sounds like Chara really liked codes. Was that why he used the old wingdings language instead of English? Most people are not aware that there was an original Monster language; even I did not recognize the symbols at first. I think usin’ Latin would have been easier to translate; I mean even Doctor Alphys needed a dictionary and she’s brilliant. Though, I suppose it makes sense. Who would expect a Human murderer to use a Monster font? It is a clever tactic.”

The skeleton babbled on nervously, glancing at Frisk who was looking thoughtful.

“Sans, do you think it is possible for somebody to be both good and bad at the same time?” She asked, her voice soft from hesitance. “That even if they are a murderer, they are still capable of some good? How can the same person who saved me from my horrible father, be the same person who killed an innocent child, or a woman determined to preserve justice between the species? What bothers me the most, is that people tend to see only the good or the bad, not both.”

“Heh, of course that is possible!” Sans said, with a small smile. “But just like bad people can sometimes be good, I think good people can sometimes be bad. Humans…Monsters…we are all so very complicated and that’s why law enforcement can be tricky but just like Captain Dreemurr told me, it’s important to judge people by their actions. Maybe Chara did have some good in him but he still is a murderer. We have laws to get rid of second guessing, they are necessary or else nobody would be truly guilty. Seeing the good in people does not excuse their evil actions.”

Frisk nodded her head, looking resigned. “Yeah, I know. It’s still hard to think about though.”

Walking back to her pile of boxes, the woman looked as if she wanted to drop the conversation. She went back to the task of putting her knickknacks carefully away in an open box. Frisk glanced up at Sans, who was still watching her in the doorway. “If you want…you can come in and help me. I have a lot of stuff and since you drove all the way here, you might as well make yourself useful. We have not talked in a long time…I kind of missed it. I missed your company.”

Sans’ cheekbones flushed blue with embarrassment. “I don’t want to get in your way.”

“You won’t.” Frisk assured him, “All you have to do is wrap these snow globes with newspaper and place them neatly in the box. It’s easy and believe me, any help you give me is much appreciated. When I put this stuff in storage, I want to make sure that it is safe and won’t break.”

Walking into the little apartment, Sans sat beside Frisk and set to work, wrapping up the snow globes. Frisk was putting away little porcelain cat figurines, miniature tea cups and other cute decorations. She was concentrating so hard, her tongue poked out of her mouth and she squinted carefully as she placed them into the box like a Tetris puzzle. For a long time, they worked at the detail orientated task. Sans who had been watching her in the corner of his eye socket, paused and looked at the woman who had captured his attention, the woman who made him feel things that he could barely understand or describe. The idea of Frisk going to a shelter injured his soul.

“Ya know, ya don’t have to go to a shelter.” Sans began, trying to keep calm.

Frisk paused and looked at him with confusion. “I guess I could try a hotel, but I don’t have the money. I don’t have any family that could take me in either. I don’t want to impose on my friends, the few that I have that would let me stay with them. So, this is my only real option left.”

“Ya can live with me and Papyrus.” The skeleton explained, blushing again. “My bro won’t mind, and we have a spare room where ya could stay for as long as ya like. I know it might seem a little forward but…I think it could work. I don’t like the idea of ya bein’ homeless Frisk. It won’t be a big deal, if anything I would enjoy the company.”

The young woman stared at him, pausing in her task of wrapping a little porcelain tabby cat. She seemed to be still processing what he had just said. “You would…you would let me live with you? Even after everything that’s happened?” She asked, almost childlike. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I would love to, but I hope you are not offering out of pity. I am not some damsel in distress! I have looked out for myself for a very long time…but if you are offering me a room because you are being kind, well that’s hard to say no to. It would certainly make things easier!”

Sans beamed happily, his eye sockets shined bright with excitement. “It would be no trouble at all! In fact, we can still put some of your stuff in storage and then later, once you are settled, we can sort things out. Whatever makes ya the most comfortable.”

“Well, I think it sounds like a wonderful idea!” Frisk said, her smile warm. “Thank you, Sans.”

Putting down the little porcelain knickknack, the young woman went over to the Monster and gave him a warm hug. She wrapped her arms around his bony body and buried her face into his soft blue jacket. Sans hesitated for a moment, but he returned her hug just as fiercely and for a moment, they just held each other, grateful to be near each other after so long. For the Human, it felt as if a heavy burden had been finally lifted and she relished the happy feeling of being loved.


	13. Chapter 13

“So, what do ya think? Do ya like it?” Sans asked, looking a little nervous.

His eye sockets studied the Human woman, watching as Frisk walked into the skeletons’ guest bedroom with a look of wonder on her face. The room itself was nothing special, it was just a small, unused bedroom that had not been needed when they had first moved in but now, Frisk looked at it as if she were walking in a dream. She admired everything she saw and she ran her hands along the furniture, noting how clean and tasteful it looked. Papyrus had clearly done well.

His brother had stayed up all night, prepping the room for their new housemate. The walls were painted a soft pastel blue and hanging over the bed, there were two abstract paintings of femur bones. A bookshelf stood nearby, ready to be filled and in the far end of the room there was one large window. The window was framed with dark blue curtains and it overlooked their spacious backyard. Frisk went to the queen-sized bed and placed upon it, her suitcase, before turning around and smiling affectionately at Sans. That look she was giving him...it made his soul flutter.

“I love it! Thank you, Sans for letting me stay here. The moment that I get my first paycheck, I will pay rent, so I won’t be a burden. This room…this house…it is more than had ever dreamed.”

“Heh, well…I am glad that you are happy.” Sans said, sheepishly smiling. “Papyrus likes interior design, he was the one who made this room look so nice. I knew my bro would like ya bein’ here, just as much as I did. Tibia honest, this house used to feel a little empty. I mean sure, Papyrus is in the next room but with ya livn’ with us, it feels like a piece of the puzzle in no longer missin’, if that makes any sense. I hope that did not sound too weird. I don’t want to freak ya out on your first day and all.”

“It’s not weird. If anything, I understand what you mean better than anyone.” Frisk assured him. “See, before I lived here, I stayed in two different places. My childhood house was not a home and that apartment building was even worse. I just never felt safe, you know? When you have to be on the lookout for gunshots, knife attacks or punches in the face, you tend to be uneasy all the time. I have felt empty for so long, it’s like there’s a void in my heart sucking away the happiness. I know emptiness but I also know that things are different now. Things are better. Since meeting you and Papyrus, I have found happiness. I have not felt this way in a long time.”

For a long time, their eyes met and Sans smirked. He gave Frisk a flirtatious wink. “Ya took the words right out of my mouth.” He proclaimed, “I like ya bein’ here Frisk. Since you are stayin’ in the room next door, it will be a whole lot easier to keep an eye socket on ya. We can’t have ya getting into more trouble, so I have taken it upon myself to keep ya in line and to make sure that ya behave yourself, capiche?”

“Oh…it’s your job…huh?” Frisk teased back, “So what’s my punishment if I act a bit naughty?”

Sans hesitated for a moment, not expecting that look on her face. Frisk was smirking now, daring him to come closer and while in the past Sans might have bashfully looked away, this time he did not hesitate. After waiting and wanting her for so long, something inside him snapped. He was done holding back. He quietly shut the door, locked it and went over to the bed where she was waiting. The suitcase had been pushed aside and Sans pressed his teeth firmly against her lips, feeling her respond to his kiss and to his touch. His magical energy was stirring and he could already feel his pelvis bones heat up with growing arousal. Opening his mouth, he let his tongue mingle with hers, groaning as she gave as good as she got. He nipped at her lips playfully, his arms holding her close as he threaded his phalanges through her soft brown hair. He could feel her shift over, making room for him on the bed as he started to explore her body. Frisk seemed fascinated with him too, her fingers roamed down his spine and caressed his rib cage. He shuddered at the touch.

When she lightly brushed her fingers along the spiky parts of his vertebrae, Sans gave a little moan of pleasure. Frisk grinned, pausing in her kissing to do it again. “Huh, so I guess this part is sensitive.”

“Ya have no idea, sweetheart. Stars, ya drive me so crazy sometimes!” Sans muttered.

Frisk shushed him, smiling coyly as she removed her shirt and bra. It was actually harder to do because Sans had started moving his kisses away from her mouth and down the sides of her neck and into the cleavage of her breasts. He was very interested in her breasts. He cupped one in his hands and started tasting the other with his tongue, gently nibbling and licking at it. Frisk felt her body quiver from the sensations, biting her lower lip as his fingers started roaming lower down. Moving on to pull at the button on her jeans, he tried to inch them off her. His own shirt had been discarded and he was down to his underwear which he kicked off without a second thought. The woman was now caught between moaning between his kisses and squirming on the bed until finally, she too was naked and exposed to the Monster on top of her. He paused, looking at her lust in his eyes. Reaching down between her legs, Sans rubbed his fingers in her center curiously.

The woman squirmed a little, feeling that rough bone rub against her clit was driving her mad. She needed more. This was not enough but just as quickly as he put his finger inside, he pulled it out again and grinned cheekily at her disappointed expression. “Heh…look how wet you are!”

“Don’t just stop…please…” Frisk begged, her eyes on him but Sans only smiled.

“Patience, sweetheart.” He cooed, “I want to do this right. I have a whole bunch of ideas on what we can do but first…I want to make sure that you won’t get into trouble. We can’t have ya bein’ naughty when I am trying to give ya some pleasure!”

Frisk looked at him in confusion, then she noticed the handcuffs. Sans pulled her arm up and gently locked it into place, then he put the other end and cuffed her to the bed frame. She smiled. “So… I guess you are into that bondage stuff, I should have known…” Frisk teased playfully.

“A good detective always has his handcuffs!” Sans said smugly, “But I keep them around for… other uses too. I told ya…I have some good ideas and ya have been a naughty girl. The way ya teased me on the phone, I was very disappointed by what had happened. Sure, it was lucky I was not killed, but I did not get what I desired.”

Frisk looked skeptical, “What do you have in mind?”

“You’ll see…” He said, in a sing song voice.

Frisk frowned, feeling frustrated by his vagueness. Then he started kissing her again, slowly moving down her body, teasing and tasting everything. His tongue was doing amazing things and she could feel him licking along her inner thighs, spreading her legs apart and pushing himself closer to her. That was around the time that Frisk noticed that there was a growing heat forming around Sans’ pelvis bone. She could not see what it was, handcuffed to the bed but she had an idea of what it could be. Up until this point, Frisk had assumed that since he was a skeleton, he might be lacking certain…parts but then she remembered a previous conversation they had earlier. Weeks ago, back at the Sugar & Snails bakery, Sans explained his ability to have a tongue but that must mean that he also had…oh…oh…right there…right there…

Her thoughts were suddenly muted by the feeling of Sans vigorously licking at her pussy. He was good…he was so good. He paid extra attention to her clit, rubbing his tongue against it before moving towards her center, pushing in and out, making her folds clench up in pleasure as she squirmed against the handcuffs. He was relentless with that tongue! Just as she reached the edge of needing to cum, he would hold back, wait a few minutes before resuming his attention back on her clit. He made a pattern of doing that and it was driving her crazy. “Please…please… let me…” She gasped, her free hand was grasping at the sheets of her bed, her knuckles turning white. Sans smirked but this time when she reached the brink, he did as she wished and allowed her that wave of pleasure to shudder through her, leaving her softly panting with newly found ecstasy. She giggled happily at the Monster, feeling her bed shake as he pushed himself up again.

“We are not done yet, sweetheart!” Sans promised, in a low whisper. “I hope ya don’t have any plans because I am goin’ be doin’ this for as long as I can…is that…okay?” 

Frisk nodded, her eyes full of expectant curiosity. Sans waited a moment, nuzzling his face into her chest and kissing her shoulders. He was on top of her now but he was careful, holding himself up with his elbows and balancing his weight so she was not squished. He gave her a knowing look and that was when Frisk noticed that something was poking her. It was just as she had suspected but unlike his tongue, the magically formed dick felt long and solid. She could not see it exactly, it was hard to turn her head because of the handcuffs, but she could feel it. She could sense the warmth radiating off it, the magical energy coursing through it and keeping its shape. His magic always did make her feel breathless.

“I want you to enjoy this. I want you to scream my name and know that you are mine! You only belong to me, ya hear?” The skeleton’s voice took a sharp, demanding tone. He moved his phalanges near her cunt and rubbed against it, feeling the moisture pool around his bony fingers before he positioned himself near her center. He held his penis close to her, one hand holding it still and the other spreading her legs apart and then with a grunt, he forcefully pushed himself into her. Frisk gasped, feeling her inner walls widen as his dick pushed into her like a battering ram and the woman let out a whimpering moan. It had been such a long time since she had felt something like this but Sans was patient and agonizingly still as he let her get used to him. Then after a few seconds, he started to move. He started out slow, back and forth pushing into her roughly. Pushing and pulling, as he started to gain speed, going faster and faster.

Her bed started to shake with all their rutting. Frisk felt her body quiver as he hit her sweet spot over and over again. She could not move, she could not think, all she could do was close her eyes and moan out his name, feeling that larger Monster hovering over her body with unbelievable warmth and power. She knew he was in charge and for once, Frisk did not mind. The woman was at his mercy, letting him push and pull against her insides and she loved every minute of it. She bucked her hips against him, meeting him thrust for thrust until finally, the feeling became insurmountable. Frisk cried out his name as she started to cum and soon after, Sans spilled himself in her, his magic, his warmth making her shudder with pleasure. She wiggled a little, her wrist pulling at the restraints but Frisk did not care. She breathed heavily and her body quivered.

Glancing at Sans, Frisk knew the skeleton was feeling just as good. He groaned, rolling off her and collapsing on the bed. The woman could smell his musky scent and feel his warmth still radiating off him. As best she could, Frisk curled up against his body and she felt his bony arms wrap firmly around her. Sans panted a little, smiling a self-satisfied smile. “So how do ya like boning a skeleton, eh sweetheart? Hopefully I did not disappoint, it’s been awhile…” 

“That was the best boning I can remember.” Frisk told him, blushing. “It was just sans-ational!”

Sans chuckled, “Heh, that is good to hear! I don’t like to admit this, but I was a little nervous…just give me a minute and these bones can work their magic once more!”

Frisk looked at him in surprise but she did not argue. Still handcuffed to her bed, all she could do was wait but Sans was not in a hurry. He really liked to take his time apparently. He closed his eye sockets for a moment, breathing deeply and stretching his bones lazily. Frisk watched him curiously, his body never ceasing to fascinate her but then suddenly, he opened his eyes and his left eye socket was glowing blue. This was new. Was his eye socket glowing before? Frisk wondered if she should be weirded out but instead she realized that it only turned her on. Even the handcuffs weren’t so bad. Frisk watched him and gave a surprised little yelped when he went back on her again, looking as monstrous as ever. She could feel his pelvis bone heat up with magic, his newly formed boner just below her stomach. His tongue licked his sharp teeth and he looked hungry.

Suddenly Sans bent down, he bit the base of her neck. He entered her just as he did so and Frisk cried out in a mix of both pain and pleasure. She was practically seeing stars now as he pushed and pulled against her sweet spot, making the bed shake harder and making her nether regions shudder from over stimulation. Frisk was getting tired and her neck hurt but she did not care. She could not stop wanting more of this, more of him pressing against her clit, more of his overwhelming heat and power but unfortunately, as quickly as the next round started, it was over. The moment that Sans came, he gave an exhausted groan and rolled over, finally settling down on the bed next to her. He was spent and he was already falling asleep where he lay. Frisk felt just as tired. She closed her eyes and nestled close to him, resting against Sans’ bony body.

In this moment, nothing mattered but the person sleeping next to her. She slept long into the night or at least until about 7 PM. That was when there was a loud knock on the bedroom door.

“FRISK? ARE YOU IN THERE?” Papyrus asked, “I HAVE BROUGHT HOME A PIZZA AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU ARE HUNGRY? I CAN’T FIND SANS ANYWHERE AND I DON’T WANT TO EAT THIS BY MYSELF. FEEL FREE TO JOIN ME. I BOUGHT TWO DIFFERENT KINDS BECAUSE I WASN’T SURE WHICH YOU LIKE.”

Frisk groaned, using her free hand to rub her eyes. “I will be there in a minute. I just woke up!”

“OKAY HUMAN, TAKE YOUR TIME! YOU MUST BE EXHAUSTED FROM THE MOVE!”

Sans had woken up beside her and was smirking. “Little does he know, how much that move exhausted ya. We both moved quite a lot…didn’t we? I could even do it again!”

Frisk groaned, “I am hungry and your brother has pizza. Can’t you let me go? I have been handcuffed to this bed for five hours! My wrist is starting to chafe from all that friction we did.”

“All right, sweetheart, I’ll set ya free.” Sans sighed reluctantly, “It was fun while it lasted but I guess I’m hungry too. All that activity really worked up an appetite. Papyrus is probably wonderin’ where I’ve been and it would be rude to just ignore him. After all, I know he’s been wanting to get to know you too. We are housemates now and we are goin’ to spend a lot of time together. I have to remember to share.”

Retrieving the key from the dresser, the lock clicked and the handcuffs opened. Frisk rubbed her wrists, wincing at the slight sting but she found herself smiling at Sans’ expression. She could tell that he did not want to leave. “Don’t worry Sans, you will always be my favorite Monster!” Frisk assured him, her fingers caressing his jaw bone. “But if we are going to continue this later, we’re both going to need our strength. I plan on staying with you for as long as you’ll have me.”

Sans seemed to cheer up, then suddenly there was more knocking on the door. "FRISK, IS MY BROTHER IN THERE WITH YOU? I HEARD HIS VOICE! SANS! SANS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE HUMAN’S ROOM AND WHY IS THE DOOR LOCKED? COME OUT OF THERE THIS INSTANT! IT IS TIME WE HAD A FAMILY DINNER AND YOU ARE BEING SUSPICIOUS! COME OUT HERE NOW!”

Frisk blushed and Sans laughed, “Okay Paps, we are coming out. I was just getting to know our housemate better. She’s real interestin’…I could talk with her all night!”

Papyrus made an annoyed noise on the other side of the door but after a minute, he left. Sans laughed happily and exchanged a knowing look with Frisk. “Come on, we better go before my brother busts a rib, he gets sulky if we don’t eat together. Shall we teleport?”

Looking down at her naked body, Frisk laughed. “I think we should probably put some clothes on. While it’s fine in the bedroom, I don’t think your brother would appreciate us teleporting in the nude. He might lose his head. Plus, I’m getting a bit cold without those nice cotton blankets.”

Sans sighed, “Okay, ya got a point…but forgive me if I prefer lookin’ at ya like this.”

Frisk rolled her eyes and together they got dressed, teleporting down to dinner with an impatient looking Papyrus giving them both the stink eye. After all that had happened, the taller skeleton’s expression just made everything funnier and soon they started laughing, until even the grumpy Papyrus joined right in. He just shook his head, serving the three of them slices of pizza with extra cheese.

“WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOU TROUBLE MAKERS?” He groaned.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank all of my readers who stuck with this story to the end. Thank you for the kudos, the comments, the bookmarks and all of the people who decided to click on my story. It makes writing all the more worthwhile. I wish you all a happy new year in the days to come.

When the bakery was finally rebuilt, the day was crisp and cool. Sans had parked his car nearby and while normally he would have teleported, he and Frisk decided to walk and enjoy the nice autumn weather. Most of the trees were bare now and everywhere they walked, yellow and orange leaves crunched under foot. It was hard to believe that only a few weeks ago, this street had been crawling with Revolutionaries but now the place seemed peaceful. Frisk’s brown hair blew about in the wind and she smiled, glancing at Sans. She knew he was up to something. The skeleton looked far too sneaky today. He walked with a confident swagger and his expression was full of mischief. It was her Monster lover’s sly look that made her wonder at his secret plans.

“So, it was nice of Toriel to invite us to the grand opening.” Frisk began, trying to contain her curiosity, “You know, it’s been weird. Normally Toriel tells me everything but lately she has been so secretive. I already know about the new menu items but I have heard multiple rumors of a name change too! Sans, do you know something? Please tell me, I’ve been wondering all day!”

Sans winked, “Why would I do that? It’d ruin the surprise! Though, ya can beg me if ya want and maybe…maybe I might give in. I do love seein’ that look on your face!”

Frisk blushed, looking away from the smirking Monster. “We are in public! I am not going to start begging and besides, Toriel is going to unveil the new name very soon. I was just curious.”

“I know sweetheart but it’s more fun for me if I keep ya guesin’!” Sans told her, looking a little naughty. “Don’t worry, you will love this new name. I had to explain the meaning to Toriel but once she understood it, she thought it was perfect. Tibia honest, I think it’s the best pun I have ever came up with. When my bro figures out what it is, it’s goin’ to drive him nuts! I am goin’ to be laughin’ with Toriel for ages!”

Frisk sighed, “I still can’t believe you made Toriel obsessed with puns. You are a bad influence Sans Skeleton! Did you know that every time I talk to her she makes stupid confectionery puns?”

Sans gave a proud smile. “Oh, how sweet! Muffin like having people follow in your footsteps. I cannoli imagine what Papyrus is goin’ to do with two punny pranksters!”

Frisk scowled, cuffing Sans as they walked, “Oh, what am I going to do with you?” She grumbled, “You are incorrigible! You tempt me relentlessly with your flirting, you rile me up and get me all hot and bothered, despite knowing that we are in public and despite knowing that we are going to be at a party! A party, with whom I might add, my boss and all our friends! Do you think it’s funny seeing me like this? Because I don’t think it’s funny! The last time we were at a public party like this, you started teasing me under the table during my birthday celebration! I swear, Papyrus must have thought I had a nervous tick! I still can’t believe you got away with it and to this day, I can’t think about strawberry cakes the same way! You love driving me crazy!”

“Guilty as charged,” Sans teased, reaching out to hold her hand. “But I know ya secretly like it! Don’t worry, there’s nobody watchin’ us. We are early and the party does not start for another half hour. So, relax! I’ve got everything planned and tibia honest, I would not mind samplin’ a bit of your sweet self, right now! I even see an alleyway. C’mon, it looks dark and romantic. It’s a perfect hideaway for just the two of us!” Before Frisk could react, they had teleported between the two different buildings. 

Sans was not kidding about it being dark and in the shadows, he soon had her pressed up against the brick wall and kissed her lips hungrily. The surface was rough against her back as he held her firm but Frisk did not care. Her anger and thoughts of public embarrassment melted away as he sucked at her tongue, nibbled at her lips and had his hands roaming freely under her pink and blue sweater. His bony fingers tweaked her nipples, making Frisk squirm under his touch. Sans smiled into the kiss, feeling her drawn to him all the more and hearing her whine when he moved from her lips to the base of her neck. He was gentle at first, slowly running his tongue from her neck to her shoulder and he felt Frisk shiver with pleasure. Then, without warning, he gave her neck a sharp bite and licked away the small droplets of blood. Frisk winced from the pain but it did not last long. She rolled her eyes, smiling a knowing smile.

So…that was what Sans had been planning. He wanted to make her claiming mark more visible. It was as if Sans had wanted everyone to know what it was and why it was there. Despite being a mild-mannered law enforcer, Sans was surprisingly a territorial Monster but Frisk did not mind. If anything, it kind of turned her on. Only she knew what he was capable of and the woman liked it that way. Frisk moaned lewdly in his strong grasp, her body aching for his touch. She could already feel his pelvis warming up under his clothes. Sans was just as aroused as she was feeling.

In the cold afternoon wind, Frisk was only drawn to his heat even more. She was half tempted to strip down and let him take her, then and there in the alleyway, if only to placate the growing need for friction in her nether regions. In consolation, she rubbed up against his bony body and made a pleased noise when she felt him already reaching down between her legs. Frisk could see the desire in Sans’ eye sockets. He wanted this just as much as she did and he grinned wolfishly.

“Sans? Frisk? What are you two doing over here?” Undyne asked, bring them out of their daze.

Sans growled under his breath, his left eye still bright with magic. He was not happy about the interruption but Frisk laughed awkwardly. “Relax, it’s just Undyne! We can continue where we left off later. It’s not her fault that we are acting like love sick teenagers right before a big party!”

Frisk smoothed down her sweater. Her face might have been flushed from the kissing but she walked towards the fish Monster with her head held high. Undyne gave her an amused look and when she glanced at Sans, the skeleton looked positively grumpy. He shuffled behind them, shooting glares as his work partner but Undyne was unruffled his mood. Instead, the female detective studied the claiming mark, noting how big and red it was against Frisk’s exposed neck.

“Well…you two have been busy.” Undnye commented, not bothering to hide her smirk. “I know you’ve been sweet on each other but it’s only been what…a month? I’m impressed, Frisk! Sans usually isn’t one for commitment and he already claimed you. It really is incredible. To think this all started out with me chasing you around Snowdin Park. I feel almost responsible for you two getting together. After all, if it was not for me, you’d probably have never met. Isn’t that funny?”

“It’s hilarious!” Sans muttered sarcastically, “But if I recall correctly, ya assumed that Frisk was the guilty one and ya treated her like a criminal from the very beginning.”

Undyne gave a snort. “I already apologized about that! It’s not my fault! I was just doing my job and it’s not like I had a lot of leads to go on at the time. Besides, we still managed to solve the case and you already arrested the real wingdings killer. So really, there’s no harm actually done.”

“It is alright Sans.” Frisk said soothingly, holding onto the skeleton’s arm. “I understand. It was an honest mistake and it is not like I was being the most innocent person. I was frightened and upset by what Chara did and if I told you the whole truth, it would have only made things worse. Besides, Undyne is right. If she had not caught me, we probably would not have met back then.”

Sans expression softened but he still looked a bit out of sorts. Frisk chatted casually with Undyne the rest of the walk to the bakery but when they made it to the front, the fish Monster stared at the big sign in confusion, then she started laughing hysterically. Papyrus had arrived to the party too but he just scratched his skull and turned to Undyne, hoping that she’d let him in on the joke.

“I DO NOT GET IT.” Papyrus complained, “ARE YOU LAUGHING BECAUSE THE NAME WAS MISSPELLED? I THINK IT’S RATHER EMBARRASSING! HERE IT IS, OPENING DAY AND THEY COULD NOT EVEN SPELL THE WORD, DESSERTS CORRECTLY. WE SHOULD GO TELL MRS. DREEMURR, SO THEY CAN QUICKLY FIX THE NEW SIGN!”

At this, Undyne laughed even harder and Papyrus was becoming irritated. He was about to march over to where Toriel was talking with Asgore but Sans went over to stop him. “Bro, the name is not misspelled.” He explained, grinning widely. “It’s supposed to be that way! It’s actually a French saying. The phrase just deserts, means something that is deserved or merited. It is the reward or punishment for an action but it can also relate to deserving or not deserving one of Tori’s new treats. It’s practical and it’s a pun! It took me ages to think of the new name but it is the most fitting one ever!”

Papyrus paused, his skull was flushing orange from repressed rage. He was practically hopping up and down he was so mad. “SANS! DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT YOU CONVINCED MRS. DREEMURR TO CHANGE HER BAKERY’S NAME TO A PUN? SERIOUSLY? YOU COULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN SOMETHING APPROPRIATE AND LESS CRINGE WORTHY? THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? NOW EVERY TIME I VISIT THE SHOP, I AM TO BE REMINDED OF YOUR PUNS!”

Toriel came over, noticing the commotion. Her eyes were shining with warmth as she embraced them all, smiling softly and ushering them inside. When she hugged Frisk, the goat Monster frowned, noticing the claiming mark. “I hope Sans is treating you right.” She commented quietly.

Frisk smiled, “He is treating me fine. I couldn’t be happier actually. Lately, things have been going well for me. I am living with the skeletons and they are kind and considerate roommates. Sans is very loving and while he does like to experiment with dominance kinks, he is actually very sweet and listens to me when I tell him no or if I do not like something. He is a good lover.”

Toriel blushed, coughing a little at the awkwardness. “Well, as long as your happy dear, I will not object. That skeleton has been very smitten with you from the very beginning. I have known Sans and Papyrus for many years and while I would…appreciate it if you do not tell me the details of your love life, I want to let you know that I am here for you if you ever need me to be.”

The young woman smiled, her face blushing a little too. “Sorry, I will be more restrained in our conversations. On another note, the burns on my hands and feet have completely healed! I have been able to go about comfortably. How are you? I know you are a Monster but does that magic laced food really heal you up 100 percent? That’s amazing. If you were Human, you would probably still have scars. You, Monsters do not know how lucky you are, you even have magic!”

Toriel shrugged, “Yes, magic is wonderful but don’t forget, Humans are powerful too! A Human soul is very strong and capable of many things you take for granted. Monsters, well…we are fragile beings and I believe that nature gave us magic, as our last line of defense. I honestly believe we would have become extinct if it was not for our powers. So, let’s cherish what we have… hmm? Now tell me my child, have you tried some of my new pies? I made one that you might like, it’s blueberry and vanilla cream. When Sans and Papyrus visited a few weeks ago, they were the first ones to try this pie. I think it will be a best seller…what do you think, Frisk?”

Holding a plate with a slice of pie on it, Frisk took a bite and let the flavor seep into her mouth. She smiled, nodding her head and taking another bite. “It’s delicious! Almost as good as your cinnamon butterscotch pie! Humans, if not Monsters will be frequent customers, I am sure of it!”

“That’s wonderful! I was hoping you would say that!” Toriel said, clapping her hands in delight.

Suddenly there was a clinking noise near the newly built display shelves. Asgore ushered the small crowd near the back of the bakery and he gestured to Sergeant Dogamy to hand out little glasses of Champagne to the adults in attendance to the party. The noisy crowd started to quiet down as the captain stepped forward and held his drink into the air. “I want to make a toast, in honor of my beautiful wife! Thanks to her creativity, her integrity and her steadfast perseverance, we have the wonderful gift of being here today to celebrate Toriel and her renown baking talent.”

Toriel blushed a little, looking down bashfully as the crowd started applauding.

“I know it has been a rough couple of weeks.” Asgore continued. “We have had to pick up the pieces of our fractured city and somehow put them back together. I will not lie, peace between Humans and Monsters is an ongoing project but I have hope that someday we can live amongst each other and not look at the other with fear and resentment. However, in the arrest of Chara and his Revolutionaries gang, things are looking better and we are slowly beginning to bridge that gap of misunderstanding. Let us go forth on this day, to look to the future and to remember that in the end, we got our Just Deserts but most of all, let us remember that we have each other.”

Asgore took a sip of his Champagne and the others in the crowd followed suit, with a few cheers thrown in the mix. Frisk sipped the fizzy liquid and then she noticed that Sans was standing next to her, looking at her with a tender smile. When Sans noticed that Frisk had found him out, he winked shamelessly and together, they watched as Monsters and Humans alike, stood together in the newly built bakery and enjoyed the chance of a new beginning.


End file.
